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WILLIAM 
BIR0E '] 





Class f^OBi 

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IN OLD ROSEAU. 

Reminiscences of Life as I Found It in 

the Island of Dominica, and Among 

the Carib Indians. 



BY 

WILLIAM Si BIRGE, M.D. 

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 



ISAAC H. BLANCHARD CO., 

Publishers, 

NEW YORK. 



ft- 



COPYRIGHTED IN" THE UNITED STATES <. v ) SBUSAX BRITAIN IN* 1900 

By WXUUAM S. BikuE, M.P. 



' 



/T- %* 




Digitized by the Internet Archive 
in 2011 with funding from 
The Library of Congress 



http://www.archive.org/details/inoldroseaureminOObirg 






PART I. 

Depicting Life as I Found It in the 
Island of Dominica. 



DEDICATION. 



TO MY WIFE, 

Who has been a constant companion and help 
through years of a busy professional life, this 
little book is dedicated with a feeling of respect 
and honest affection. 



ixTEorrcTiox. 

This little book was written in the beginning as 
a relaxation from the worry and care of an active 
professional life, and to recall to mind the many 
pleasant and varied incidents narrated herein. It 
was not intended for publication, but at the solici- 
tation of friends, who have been entertained by its 
perusal, saying that it differed so materially from 
the ordinary humdrum book of travel, I have con- 
sented to place it in the hands of the publisher. 

A few of the chapters have appeared in print 
before, but these have been rewritten and. for the 
most part, materially changed, particularly a por- 
tion of the first chapter, which was written in con- 
junction with a friend and formed an article in a 
guide-book of West Indian travel. For some of 
the statistics and other information furnished, I 
am indebted to various sources, among others 
Ober s incomparable work on the Carribean Isl- 
ands. 

I make no pretensions of any literary effort, but 
have tried to make the book readable, and incite in 
the minds of its readers an interest in. and an ad- 
miration for, one of the most beautiful islands in 
the world. It is not too highly colored, for the 
pen of the most gifted writer cannot do justice to 
this tropical isle of the sea. One of the few places, 
if, indeed, such can be said to exist on this earth, 
that might truly be entitled to the synonym of 
God's country. 

Proi'ineetown, llass., May SO, 1900. 



CONTENTS. 



PAET ONE. 

CHAPTER I. 

An Idyl of the Carribean 9 

CHAPTER II. 
A Chapter of No Account 25 

CHAPTER III. 
Tom and I Visit the Boiling Sulphur Springs ... 28 

CHAPTER IV. 
A Twilight Picture 36 

CHAPTER V. 
The Obeah Practise 42 

CHAPTER VI. 

We Visit the Government Hospital and See Some Cases 
of Leprosy ... 50 

CHAPTER VII. 
The Story of Old Buttman's Jule — A Dominica Trag- 
edy • 54 



PAET TWO. 

AMONG THE CAEIBS. 
CHAPTER I. 
Reminiscences and a Determination to See the Mahoe 
Country and its Carib Inhabitants 65 

CHAPTER II. 
The Start — Jean Baptiste Pierre — I Reach the Mahoe 
Country 70 

CHAPTER III. 
My Advent Into the Carib Settlement — I Become Ac- 
quainted with the Family of Jean Baptiste Pierre — ■ 
Attend Divine Worship and Meet with a Surprise 75 

CHAPTER IV. 
King George — My Introduction — Jean Baptiste Pierre 
and I Hunt the Wild Hog 82 

CHAPTER V. 
Manners and Customs of the Carib Indians — A Few In- 
cidents 88 

CHAPTER VI. 
A Broken Reverie — Marcella's Love-Making — My De- 
parture from the Land of Mahoe 95 

CHAPTER VII. 
The Carribean Islands as a Health Resort .... 101 

ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Marcella, Carib Girl ........ Frontispiece 

Street Scene, Roseau Page 17 

Steamers of Quebec Line Page 102 



IN OLD ROSEAU. 

CHAPTER I. 

AN IDYL OF THE CARRIBEAK. 

"My dream is of an island place, 
By distant seas kept lonely, 
A little island, on whose face 
The stars are watchers only." 

/in the fine old days when the history of the 
West Indies and the Spanish Main was fraught 
with romance and tragedy, those islands running 
in a crescent shape from Trinidad, on the south, to 
the Virgin Islands, on the north, were known as 
the Windward Islands. The Leeward Islands were, 
and properly speaking are, another cluster, lying 
off the coast of Venezuela from Magarita to Oruba J 
The Britishers owned none of these, and to make 
themselves happier, divided their Windward chain 
and called the northern part the Leeward Islands. 
This has been the cause of confusion and misun- 
derstanding. When I read of the Windward Isl- 
ands I do not know to what the author refers; 
when someone speaks of the Leeward Islands, I am 
at a loss to understand. The changes which have 
taken place these later years in the time of fast 



In Old Roseau. 

steamships and much going are discouraging to 
the lovers of old books of travel. It was in the 
days before the poetry of the deep had been sent 
swirling astern out of sight by the propeller that 
the Windward Islands were the Windward Islands. 
"The glory and the dream has gone/'* says W. 
Clark Eussell; "the demon of steam has possessed 
with its spirit the interior of the sailing ship, and 
from the eyes of the nautical occupants of that 
combination of ore and wire, that ocean visionary 
life which was the substance and sum of sea calling 
has utterly faded. A man is taken from port to 
port with railroad punctuality. He is swept head- 
long through calms and storms. The mantle of 
mystery has been lifted by the hand of discovery, 
and the superstition and fear begotten of intrusion 
into the obscure and unknown and the magic that 
was in them is gone." 

But, perhaps, the elimination of poetry from the 
sea life by the pounding of the steam engine and 
the swift voyage, is more deplorable on land than 
it is on the ocean itself. Let us admit that it is. 
Most likely we shall then be willing to hasten on, 
borne by the very impolite, but very comfortable, 
iron steamship. 

In no part of the ocean are voyages attended 
with so much enjoyment as in the Southern Sea, 
and anything pleasanter, more lotus-bearing, more 

10 



In Old Roseau. 

Eden-like, than the Carribean Islands can hardly 
be. Deep in emerald valleys, hemmed in by ra- 
vine and precipice, overhung with towering tree 
ferns and the glassy and quaint leaf of the wild 
plantain, moist with the daily showers that sud- 
denly sweep down like white curtains from the 
dark and jagged heights overhead, to be as sud- 
denly followed by the hot sunshine of the cloud- 
less blue, until every form of vegetable life springs 
up and nourishes in a confused plenitude of 
beauty — a veritable paradise, indeed! 

In these West Indian Islands you live in a cli- 
mate averaging 80 °. The air has no longer any 
harshness or asperity. It feels soft and bland to 
the skin. Every breath is healing. You are be- 
side a tinted and eye-delighting ocean, where soft 
breezes are constant and strengthening; amid 
lovely scenes of vivid and varied hues, and be- 
neath fair, solemn and deep blue skies, whose brief 
sunsets are glorious beyond the painting of words, 
and whose prismatic stars glow like steel when not 
(fuenched by the most mellow and brightest of 
moonlights. The mind partakes of the tranquility 
of it all, and year by year after you have come 
away you will look back to those verdant hills, 
to those palm-bordered roads, to that purple and 
rosy sea, to those brilliant noons and beautiful 
nights, to the charming climate, and you will 

11 



In Old Koseau. 

come to understand with the sympathy of experi- 
ence the answer made me by an accomplished 
Creole, whose acquirements fitted him for higher 
positions than he could find to fill in the islands, 
when I asked him why he did not seek more ac- 
cessible and worthy fortunes elsewhere. "Ah/' he 
said, looking up to heaven all aglow with the 
morning light, "I cannot live away from the 
tropic sun!" 

Dominica is the real elysium of the Carribean 
Islands. The hand of nature has there dissemi- 
nated her richest treasures. Pleasure and repose 
there find the sweetest security. 

Let one ascend the mountains back of Koseau, 
and one cannot help gazing with enthusiastic ad- 
miration on the beauties by which one is sur- 
rounded, on the perfect picture whose loveliness 
meets one's view at every turn. Below, extending 
as far as the eye can reach, are the tranquil waters 
of the Carribean, glistering in the beams of the 
southern sun. North and south, the valleys glow 
in the same life-giving splendor, the mounta^i 
springs gushing forth in very wantonness, and the 
beautiful foliage of the various tropical trees and 
plants clothing the sides of the mountain and the 
valley below, beyond which, extending along the 
water's edge, lies the sombre old town itself. The 
breezes, redolent with perfume and freshened by 

12 



In Old Koseau. 

the waves over which they are wafted, will bear 
with them a coolness more than delicious. Noth- 
ing is wanting for the perfect unity of loveliness, 
the natural enchantment of the scene. 

Dominica is thirty miles in length by eleven 
miles in breadth, and, owing to its numerous 
mountain ranges, presents a more uneven surface 
than any other island in the West Indies. When 
Columbus was asked by the queen to describe its 
general appearance, he crumpled a sheet of paper 
in his hand and threw it on the table. In no 
better way could he clearly convey his own idea. 

This island, like most of the group, is of volcanic 
formation; but the only active evidence of that 
character now existing is in the numerous boiling 
sulphur springs found there, and far in the interior 
on the almost inaccessible mountain is a boiling 
sulphur lake, which Ober, in his work on the Car- 
ribees, describes as being from 300 to 400 feet in 
diameter, although no actual measurements have 
ever been made. Its temperature varies. When 
Mr. Ober saw it, he found it to be 96°, although 
when examined some months previous by Dr. 
Nichols, of Roseau, it was found to be 196°. Its 
depth has never been ascertained. Some years ago 
it suddenly emptied itself, blowing high into the 
air like a geyser, and destroying the forest for 
several miles around and ' frightening the native 

13 



In Old Roseau. 

inhabitants nearly to death. Since that time it has 
gradually filled up again, until at present it has 
assumed its old proportions. It is safely approach- 
able, but difficult of access, much of the jour- 
ney having to be performed on foot through a mass 
of tropical vegetation that would try the patience 
of a saint, if such an individual were ever to be 
found traveling through the West Indies. 

Far back on the Atlantic side of the island, 
bordering on the Mahoe Eiver, is the reservation of 
the Carib Indians, the remnant of a once power- 
ful nation. They number between three and four 
hundred, and live in a very quiet, peaceful man- 
ner. Their chief occupation is making the pan- 
nier, or Carib basket, which is much sought after 
by the natives of all these islands. These baskets 
vary in size from a small hand-bag to a large trunk. 
They are made in a peculiar manner, from a reed 
called Mahoe, and are so tight that they will hold 
water. They are durable, and with proper care 
will last for years. The price varies according to 
the size, some of the larger ones bringing as much 
as five dollars. It is seldom that a Carib Indian 
will visit the towns, and then only to dispose of his 
baskets and purchase supplies. It is said that there 
are numbers of the tribe who have never left the 
reservation. 

The principal town and capital of the island is 

14 



In Old Eoseau. 

Roseau. It is a quaint, sombre-looking place, with 
its long line of sea wall, built of solid stone, ten 
feet in thickness. The houses, too, have a solid 
look, the principal ones being wholly or in part 
built of stone. This does not apply to the native 
habitations, which are much the same in all the 
West Indian Islands— simply boxes of wood fifteen 
or twenty feet square, covered with bonnet or 
thatched roofs. Eoseau is a very healthy city and 
no offensive sights or sounds are to be encountered. 
There has been no epidemic sickness for years, and 
very few cases of fever are to be found. There 
is an excellent hospital situated on Morne Bruce, 
about two miles from the city, where the poor of 
the island receive treatment free. It is open daily 
for the inspection of visitors, and an hour devoted 
to it is well spent. One ward will be found espe- 
cially interesting, as it is occupied entirely by pa- 
tients afflicted with the yaws, a skin disease con- 
fined entirely to the negroes, and which manifests 
itself by an eruption more or less over the entire 
body. As soon as a native is attacked with this 
disease he is immediately taken to the hospital, 
whether he will or no, where he is put on a whole- 
some diet and under general treatment, when he 
soon recovers. 

The streets of Roseau are free from wheeled 
vehicles of any kind. Indeed, there is only one 

15 



In Old Roseau. 

carriage in the whole island, and that, like the old 
fort, in whose courtyard it may be seen, is a 
thing of the past. The reason for this is easily ex- 
plained. In the town itself the cobblestone pave- 
ments would so shake up a man's interior were he 
to drive over them, that it would be simply im- 
possible to stand it; and outside of the town there 
are no carriage roads whatever. So that it is go on 
horseback or go on foot. There are many excellent 
horses on the island, however, and it is really a 
pleasure to mount one of them and take a ride 
into the country. 

One point of interest in Eoseau is the old fort. 
It is on a hill leading directly up from the water's 
edge, and commands a magnificent view of the 
harbor. Many years ago it was garrisoned with 
troops, and was considered one of the strongest 
fortresses on the islands; but those times have long 
since passed away, and the old fort, like the town 
itself, is a relic of by-gone days. The structure is 
still very solid, and it will be a long time before 
the hand of time will destroy it. It is now used 
for police barracks, and the present inspector takes 
pleasure in keeping the grounds and premises in a 
neat condition. They are mostly set out to flowers, 
shrubs and fruit-bearing trees, such as the cocoa- 
nut, palm, limes, lemons and Smyrna figs. The 
inspector is a very genial type of an Englishman. 

16 



In Old Roseau. 

He is one of the regular army men on the reserve 
list. He has fifty men under him in all, about 
thirty being stationed in Eoseau. They are all 
blacks, and receive, according to rank, a salary of 
from £20 to £30. They are quite efficient, and the 
inspector told me that he had little difficulty in 
preserving complete order throughout the whole 
island with a population of 28,000. The natives 
as a class are very peaceable, and most of the ar- 
rests are for theft and drunkenness. 

There are three religious denominations in the 
town, the largest of which is the Eoman Catholic. 
The Church of England has a neat little edifice, 
and is supported by a congregation of about 800. 
The other, the Wesleyan Methodists, has a small, 
but zealous, congregation, and is regularly opened 
every Sunday for day services and twice a week 
for evening prayer meetings. Out of a population 
of 28,000 nearly 27,000 are Roman Catholics, and 
every little hamlet, no matter how remote, will 
have its church or chapel where services are held. 
The priests, for the most part, are Irishmen, and a 
more genial, kind-hearted, self-sacrificing class of 
men it would be hard to find. 

While speaking of churches and ministers, I re- 
call to mind an anecdote in Coleridge's "Six 
Months in the West Indies," of Mr. Audain, one 
of the early preachers in the .Church of England in 

17 



In Old Roseau. 

Roseau. The story is too good to "be lost, and I 
shall repeat it as I remember it. The Reverend 
Mr. Audain was a patriot; few of his cloth like 
him. He was not content with praying against the 
enemies of his country; he fought against them 
also. St. Peter certainly owned a boat, and the 
authorized translation (Mr. Audain loved literal 
orthodoxy) intimates a partnership among some 
of the apostles in a ship. So Mr. Audain built a 
schooner and carried on for many years a system 
of practical polemics with the disputants of the 
French school, to his own abundant profit and 
notoriety. Some of the older inhabitants of Roseau 
can yet remember hearing their parents tell of 
Audain, with how joyful a rapture this holy Do- 
minican once broke off his service on a Sunday, 
unable to repress the emotions of his triumph on 
seeing the vessel of his faith sail into the bay with 
a dismasted bark laden with sugar, rum and other 
Gallic vanities from Martinique. It was shortly 
after this event that the star of Audain began to 
wax dim. His zeal was equally great, his courage 
undaunted, but an evil destiny met him at every 
turn. An acquaintance met him one day in the 
streets of Basse Terre, in St. Kitts, surrounded by 
negroes, to whom he was distributing plantains, 
yams, potatoes and other eatables, and holding pri- 
vate talk with them all by turns. Having caught 

13 



In Old Roseau. 

the eye of his friend, he came up to him and said; 

"I am going to smuggle all these rascals to 

Gaudaloupe." He did so in his schooner, but 
himself remained on shore. A privateer of Nevis 
captured the smuggler before she could get to the 
market. Audain became furious, went himself to 
Nevis and challenged the owner of the privateer 
to tight. The challenge was not accepted, and Au- 
dain immediately posted the name of the recusant 
on the walls of the court-house as that of a scoun- 
drel. For two days he himself kept watch upon 
the platform, with sword by his side and four pis- 
tols stuck in his belt, to see if anyone dared touch 
the shield. 

Audain fitted out another schooner and sailed 
in her himself; but fate was too heavy for him, 
though he struggled against it like a man. On 
the second day a vessel was seen on the leeward; 
he found it to be a Spanish trader, and supposing 
she was wholly unarmed, bore down upon her as 
upon a certain prey. When he came within pistol 
shot fourteen masked ports were opened, and as 
many guns pointed at him through them. Au- 
dain was obliged to strike in an instant, and with 
the carpenter succeeded in secreting himself under 
some water casks in the hold of the schooner. The 
Spaniards came on board and cut every man in 
pieces, except Audain and -the carpenter. These 

15 



In Old Roseau. 

two lay all night under the casks; but in the 
morning, upon further search, their asylum was 
discovered. They were brought on deck and the 
Spaniards were on the point of hewing them in 
pieces, when their captain exclaimed with an oath: 
"Hold on! this man's life is sacred and the other's, 
too, for his sake." Audain had formerly done the 
Spaniards great service at St. Thomas, and it now 
saved his own and the carpenter's life. 

Up to this time Audain, though occasionally 
non-resident for the aforesaid reasons, had con- 
tinued minister of Koseau. He was a singularly 
eloquent preacher in the pathetic and suasory 
style, and he rarely failed to bring down tears 
upon the cheeks of most of those who heard him. 
His manners were fine and gentle, and his appear- 
ance even venerable. He was hospitable to the 
rich, and gave alms to the poor. But his repeated 
losses were such as to bear a royal merchant down, 
and the Dominicans became more scrupulous, and 
a Governor came who knew not Audain. So Au- 
dain abdicated the pulpit of Koseau. 

Privateering and smuggling had failed, so now 
he commenced honest trade. He went to St. Do- 
mingo with a cargo of corn, sold it well and lived 
on the island. But his star grew fainter and 
fainter. He quarreled with two black general offi- 
cers, challenged them, and shot them both se- 

20 



In Old Roseau. 

verely. Christopher sent for him, and told him 
that if the men recovered it were well, but if either 
of them died he would hang him on the tamarind 
tree before his own door. Audain thought the men 
would die, and escaped from the tamarind tree by 
night in an open boat. He now settled in St. Eu- 
statius, put on his black coat again, and recom- 
menced life a clergyman. St. Eustatius was a free 
port, yet the division of labor had made surprising- 
ly slow advance in it. There were many religions 
but few priests in the island when Audain made 
his appearance there. He had become liberal- 
minded by misfortune, and he was always actuated 
by a faith of such immense catholicity that it com- 
prehended within its creed every radiation of opin- 
ion from the centre of Christianity, as the felloe 
embraces the spokes of a wheel. Audain offered 
to administer to all the sects respectively, which 
offer the free-traders thankfully accepted. In the 
morning he celebrated mass in French; in the fore- 
noon read the liturgy of the Church of England; in 
the afternoon sprackened the Dutch service, and 
at nightfall chanted to the Methodists. Audain 
seemed to be again gaining wealth and fame. He 
was a married man, but his wife resided in Eng- 
land. A Dutch widow — rich, pious and large — 
cast a widow's eye on Audain. The rigor of Creole 
viduity softened under the afternoon sprackenings 

21 



In Old Roseau. 

of Audain. as Dutch butter melts under the kisses 
of Titian. She told Audain that if Heaven had 
made her such a man she would have married 
twice. The hint was broad as herself, hut Audain 
liked it the better for its dimensions, and married 
her on the spot, reading the service himself. 

Audain fought thirteen duels, and was a good 
boxer. He lived to a ripe old age. and wholly re- 
formed his manners. He loved his Dutch wife 
and said his prayers so loud as to disturb his neigh- 
bors. His English wife sent him a Christmas box 
annually. He was a man of infinite talent and had 
seen the world. If he had written a life of himself, 
it would have been the most entertaining book of 
the age: but, like many others whose life has been 
full of romance, he sank into an oblivion which he 
did not seem to deserve. 

A visit to the market-place, early in the morn- 
ing, particularly on Saturday, will be interesting, 
and at the same time show us what the Domini- 
cans live upon. A better market it would be hard 
to find, and a cheaper one impossible: excellent 
beef. goat. pork, mutton and fowl can be pur- 
chased for from eight to ten cents a pound. Fish 
of various kinds and delicious flavor, from four to 
seven cents. All varieties of tropical fruit in 
abundance, at fabulously low prices. Several 
times on visiting the market we noticed some pe- 



In Old Roseau. 

culiar animals, resembling lizards in appearance, 
being about two feet in length, and covered all 
over with brown warts. They were vicious-looking 
things, and showed their disposition by snapping 
at every one who passed near them. We were told 
that they were iguanas, and were considered a great 
delicacy. The flesh is white and is said to re- 
semble the chicken in flavor, but is more delicate. 
The market is almost wholly controlled by women, 
and one will find them of all shades, from the 
blackest of the black to a light olive tint. They 
go bare-footed, and their only clothing consists of 
a dress, a single undergarment, and a bright ban- 
danna handkerchief tied around the head in a 
manner peculiar to themselves. Their dress is al- 
ways made with a long train, which is generally 
looped up and held in place by a cord tied around 
the loins. They present a very picturesque appear- 
ance, and are certainly very noisy, each calling out 
her wares at the top of her voice and naming the 
price, some speaking English and others the na- 
tive patois, which to a stranger is perfectly unin- 
telligible, even though he understand the French 
language. A few of the market women occupy 
stands covered over with rough boards, but the 
large majority are content to squat on the rough 
stone pavement, their baskets by their side. A lit- 
tle apart from the market proper, in a group by 

23 



In Old Koseau. 

themselves, are the charcoal venders, who always 
have a good trade, for charcoal is the only fuel 
used in these islands. 

The women of Dominica are not so pretty as 
their sisters in the neighboring island of Marti- 
nique. They are generally larger in figure and 
coarser in feature, and have not the dainty feet 
and graceful gait of the French belles. They also 
lack that voluptuous languor which is so character- 
istic of a Martinique woman, The complexion is 
generally much darker, and they resemble more 
the native African type. 

The boarding houses of Koseau are excellent, 
the table such as would suit the most fastidious. 

To one who is fond of quiet, likes to live well, 
enjoys out-of-door life, and loves to commune with 
nature, we would say go to Dominica. There in 
that tropical isle of the sea, all is quietness, all 
is rest. Far from all the tumults and cares of city 
life, he can truly say that he stands in the midst 
of a paradise, and has veritably left the world be- 
hind him. 



24 



CHAPTER II. 

A CHAPTEE OF NO ACCOUNT. 

How few people are content in this world of rest- 
lessness and strife. The most favored child of 
fortune is oftenest spoiled. How true it is that 
the heart constantly longs for something that it 
has not, even though that longing may be only a 
cloud to hide for a moment the perpetual sunshine. 
Thank heaven, we were not of these. I say we, for 
hut a few days before my old-time friend, Tom 
Paine, who had been spending a month in Mar- 
tinique, the guest of his uncle, the American con- 
sul, had taken a run across to Dominica. He 
would spend an even week with me before the re- 
turning steamer would carry him back to the 
States. 

We were true philosophers, and belonged to 
that school who had but little as the world goes, 
and wanted nothing. 

We had been discussing the feminine types of 
these Southern isles of the sea. I was lying at 
full length under the shade of a fig tree with my 
jacket for a pillow, and Tom stood a few feet dis- 
tant with his hands in his pockets, smoking stead- 
ily on his briarwood, as though the question was 
one of the greatest moment. 

25 



In Old Roseau. 

"Do you think after all," said I, reverting to 
the matter-of-fact view of my own mind, which 
was usually inclined to the romantic; "that these 
dark-skinned houris, with the most beautiful and 
languishing eyes, as you call them, are not de- 
cidedly inferior to even the average New England 
girl. Of course, laying aside your own native 
town of Salem, that I believe has always been 
noted for its pretty girls. How long would you iove 
a woman that could neither read nor write, and 
who could not converse intelligently for five min- 
utes on a given subject, and whose knowledge of 
the outside world is so circumscribed that to define 
it would be almost ludicrous?" Your brief resi- 
dence in Martinique must have turned your head, 
Tom. Here you are, a man of education and refine- 
ment, fairly raving about these women who were 
never even taught their letters." 

Tom removed the pipe from between his lips, 
and began to whistle an air of some favorite piece, 
which was always a sign that he was displeased, 
generally with himself. 

"Did it never occur to you, Tom," I continued, 
"that a woman's education is after all the ground- 
work and secret fascination over man?" 

"You are not altogether wrong," said my com- 
panion, after smoking in silence for some mo- 
ments. "The women of the North would, indeed, 

26 



In Old Roseau. 

be considered of little account, to say the least, if 
they had no education, if they could neither read 
nor write. But the women of these sunny isles 
is another thing altogether. I am inclined to 
believe that education would be inconsistent with 
the clime. Now you have been here in Roseau 
some little time, but how many times have you, 
my friend, been guilty of bringing into existence 
a single new idea or thought? Why, probably not 
once. Your intellect remains unchanged, and 
your imagination, I am sure, is not dull. But you 
know from your own experience, as I know from 
my own, that it is only from the force of necessity 
that one acts or thinks in these latitudes. What a 
glorious existence, old fellow! Is it not sublime? 
Can you not feel it taking possession of your every 
faculty, of your whole physical self? Indolence, 
voluptuous indolence of body and mind — the lat- 
ter at the same time lying awake in its chamber, 
taking in with pleasure and keenest interest every- 
thing that passes before its windows. To live, 
and a realization of the same is enough in these 
isles of the sun. But merely to live in our own 
Northern land is to be bound hand and foot to 
the stake like the Indian's captive, submitting to 
slow torture. 

How would one of these island maidens look 
upon the suitor that would conduct his courtship 

27 



in Old Roseau. 

after the manner of our Northern swain. A book 
of poems in one hand and a sheet of music in the 
other, and whose whole set of ideas seem to be 
made to conform to a code of society ethics, to 
break which would insure instant dismissal or 
bring everlasting disgrace upon the would, be vio- 
lator. 

Such is life in our grand republic — give me a 
land like this, of perpetual sunshine and happy- 
thoughts, each one's life a book unto itself. A 
land where book-learning is unappreciated by the 
masses. Where the men and women grow up as 
flowers about them grow, fed by bright sunshine 
and balmy air. That is my ideal country. 

CHAPTER III. 

TOM AND I VISIT THE BOILING SULPHUR 
SPRINGS. 

"Dominica's fire- cleft summits 

Rise from bluest of blue oceans; 

Dominica's palms and plantains 
Feel the trade wind's mighty motions, 

Swaying with impetuous stress 

The West Indian wilderness. 



"Dominica's crater-caldron 

Seethes against its lava- beaches; 



28 



In Old Roseau. 

Boils in misty desolation; 

Seldom foot its border reaches; 
Seldom any traveler's eye 

Penetrates its barriers high.* 

Lucy Larcom- 

It was a beautiful afternoon that Tom and my- 
self, in company with Mr. Gillion, an officer of the 
customs, left our inn, mounted on horses, which 
if not handsome in appearance, were certainly as 
sure-footed animals as I have ever seen. We were 
off for the boiling springs, situated some seven 
miles distant in the mountains. 

The streets of Roseau were certainly never con- 
structed as an aid to locomotion, for either man 
or beast. The roadway, formed of large cobble- 
stones laid closely in opposition with each other, 
presented a very uneven surface, and on a wet 
day a decidedly slippery one. In many places the 
grass had grown to some length between the stones, 
which did not tend to increase the facilities for 
travel. The law is, that at certain times of the 
year the streets shall be thoroughly weeded, and 
each householder is responsible for that portion 
of the street in front of his residence or place of 
business. The principal thoroughfares are gener- 
ally weeded at these periods, but there is ample 
time between whiles for the most luxuriant growth, 
and at times, after frequent rains, some of the by- 

29 



In Old Roseau. 

ways present the appearance of a much-neglected 
garden. 

After reaching the outskirts of the town and 
crossing the bridge, the road was very good, and 
we could canter along for some distance, gradually 
ascending the mountain. Proceeding in this way 
for a mile or two we turned to the right from the 
main road and took a narrow but well-beaten path. 
The first obstacle in our way was a river to ford. 
Dominica is noted for the number of its rivers. 
How many there really are I never ascertained, 
but I do know that in traveling through a certain 
section one is liable to cross the same stream in its 
circuitous windings anywhere from one to a dozen 
times. The horses of the island are equally at 
home in fording the streams, or in climbing up 
some of the seemingly impassable mountains. The 
river was not very deep at this point, it being the 
dry season, and by drawing our feet up until they 
were almost under us, we went across and were 
quite dry. After crossing the river the road led 
us through a large estate of lime trees, among 
which were mingled here and there the cocoanut 
palm and other varieties of tropical vegetation. I 
was particularly struck with the size and beauty 
of the ferns there, as well as in many other parts 
of the island. There were myriads of them in the 
recesses of the mountains, and most of the separ- 

30 



In Old Roseau. 

ate trees were fifteen or twenty feet in height. 
The branches, too, were as finely pennated as any 
that I have seen in our own country, and their 
colors fresh and vivid beyond description. This is 
probably owing to the abundance of the water, 
which all the year round is running down the 
mountains, diffusing a coolness of temperature 
that is very delightful. From this lime plantation 
the road led us by various windings up the moun- 
tain side, and here came in the picturesque beauty 
of the road. 

Think of riding along a precipice, the path in 
some places not more than three feet wide, a step 
from which would throw you down into the Roseau 
Valley, over a thousand feet below. It is seldom 
that an accident occurs, as these roads are not fre- 
quented at night, and the ponies are very careful 
in picking their way along, always, however, tak- 
ing the outside edge, much to the consternation of 
one not used to this way of traveling. The reason 
for this is that the green sward is always thickest 
near the brink of the precipice, making a softer path 
for their feet. The view, as you near the springs, 
is wild and beautiful; the valley below you, the 
opposite mountains towering up far above, so far 
that its summit is hidden from view in the clouds, 
as is also that of the mountain up which we are 
traveling, and as you look up it seems that the cliffs 

31 



In Old Roseau. 

verily overhang yon. Owing to the depth of the 
valley the distance across, from mountain to moun- 
tain, appears much less than it really is. One 
would judge that a pistol ball could easily span 
the distance, yet at the foot of the mountain it is 
some two miles across. 

The mountains, being composed of soft lime- 
stone, I suggested to Mr. Gillion the possibility of 
a portion of the cliff becoming detached and per- 
haps annihilating some unfortunate travelers who, 
like ourselves, might be on their way to the boil- 
ing springs. Detachments have never been known 
to occur, except after an unusually long spell of 
rainy weather, when the streams are overflowed. 
At such periods, although no one was ever known 
to be injured, huge masses will sometimes become 
loosened and go thundering down the mountain 
sides, carrying everything before them into the 
valley. 

An old darkey, whom I employed several times as 
a guide in pedestrian tours up the mountain, told 
me about a little experience of his own, which I 
think will bear repeating. It was during the rainy 
season, and for two days previous there had been 
an unusually heavy fall of rain, but the forenoon 
of that day it had cleared up; so taking his donkey 
he thought he would make a trip up the mountain 
to a little hamlet near the summit, where his 

32 



In Old Roseau. 

"brother and family lived. When some distance up, 
he came to a cocoannt grove, near which was a 
nice piece of green sward. Here he thought was 
a good place for refreshment for himself and his 
poor beast, so leaving his donkey to graze awhile 
on the savanna, he betook himself to the cocoannt 
grove, where knocking down a half-dozen of the 
green fruit, he proceeded to satisfy his thirst. 
While thus employed he heard a deafening crash, 
and the very ground on which he sat shook be- 
neath him. The next instant a dark cloud passed 
over the savanna with the quickness of lightning, 
and disappeared in the valley below. On recover- 
ing from his fright he repaired to where he had 
left his donkey. Here, for a space of two hundred 
yards in width and extending the whole length of 
the savanna, the ground was torn up and not a 
shrub or particle of turf left upon it. In response 
to my inquiry as to what became of the donkey, 
he said: 

"Well, Massa, I done tell de truf, but I never 
see dat animile from dat day till now. I specs 
when dat bit of mountain struck him he just melt 
right away, sah." 

As we proceeded, I perceived the smoke ascend- 
ing from various soufrieres a little higher up the 
mountain, and the odor of the sulphurous exhala- 
tion became very strong. Soufriere is the com- 

33 



In Old Roseau. 

mon name in the West Indies for all active vol- 
canoes, as it is also for those numerous quarries of 
hot sand and springs of boiling water which are 
themselves either the remains of ancient craters or 
the imperfect eruptions from a soil highly im- 
pregnated with volcanic elements. A little further 
and a sudden turn of the path brought us up on a 
plateau some acres in extent. Near the centre 
we descended a deep gorge, from the bottom of 
which steam and vapor were arising from various 
pools, and from a little stream whose source is 
further up the mountains. It was a strange sight, 
this little stream. The water in one place would 
be in a state of violent ebullition, while it was 
perfectly cold six feet away. The strong sulphur- 
ous odor was almost suffocating, and the steam 
arising from springs so dense that we could not 
venture within several feet of them. In places 
the stream would be so strong of sulphur that we 
could not drink it, and in others as clear and 
tasteless as any mountain stream. 

Mr. Gillion informed us that the location of the 
boiling springs was continually changing; that 
perhaps in a few weeks' time these would cease 
their bubblings and others a few feet or yards 
distant would commence, but some of them were 
always boiling. A rumbling, seemingly way down 
in the bowels of the earth, was at all times per- 

34 



In Old Roseau. 

ceptible, and a vibration of the earth on which we 
stood could be plainly felt. These springs, if they 
were only near the town or easier of access,, would 
be worth much for bathing purposes. A bath 
could be constructed at little expense, into which 
both hot and cold sulphur water could be con- 
ducted. 

Much of the country about this section is cov- 
ered with coffee bushes, and here and there are 
patches of cocoa. The Dominica planters are cul- 
tivating the latter more largely of late years, and 
find it a very profitable production. We saw land 
crabs crawling about in great numbers. The 
draupaudes, enormous frogs, the color of the com- 
mon toad and about five times as large, are also 
found in that locality. They certainly are disgust- 
ing creatures to look at, but highly esteemed as an 
article of food by the Dominican, and for my own 
part I must say that they make a very savory dish. 

Our return was somewhat quicker than our jour- 
ney up the mountain, but not as agreeable, for the 
descent in many places was very steep, giving 
one a constant feeling of insecurity in the saddle. 
On again fording the river I very narrowly escaped 
a ducking. My horse went a little too far down 
the stream, with the result of rapidly deepening 
the water. By means of various acrobatic at- 
tempts, I managed to keep myself dry above the 

35 



In Old Koseau. 

knees, and prided myself that under the circum- 
stances I had done remarkably well. 

There are times during the rainy season when 
a storm comes on so suddenly and lasts so long 
that it is impossible to ford the streams. Mr. 
Gillion told us that once during the previous 
spring he was caught in this manner between two 
rivers, aod was unable to cross either, having to re- 
main so situated some ten or twelve hours until 
the swollen waters subsided. 



CHAPTEK IV. 

A TWILIGHT PICTUKE. 

It was one of those beautiful twilights, such as 
one can only find in the tropics. An evening 
when all nature was resplendent in her glory, and 
the very atmosphere itself seemed to partake of 
the life-giving spirit. 

Tom and I had started out for a stroll. We 
stood for a while upon the old sea wall, gazing out 
upon the tranquil waters of the Carribean. Not 
a sail was in sight, and not a sound was to be 
heard, save the gentle ripple of the quiet sea 
against the massive wall. 

Some writer has said that the twilight hour 
is the one for better angels. There certainly is 

36 



In Old Roseau. 

something in the influence of such an hour that 
exercises an unobserved but peculiar effect on the 
feelings. 

We stood for awhile in silence, each absorbed in 
his own thoughts, and drinking in the silent and 
soul-inspiring picture before us. We followed the 
sea wall along until we came to the banks of the 
Eoseau Eiver, where its waters gently mingled with 
those of the mighty ocean. Following the river 
bank for some distance, we turned into a path that 
I never remembered having seen before in my 
rambles. By this time the deepening shadows 
gave warning that the Prince of Darkness was 
making his approach. Twilight had deepened. 
We were about to retrace our steps when my eye 
caught the twinkling of a light in the valley ahead 
of us. The green valley wound down from the 
mountain just beyond, which stood like a frowning 
tower in broken and strong relief against the sky, 
and from the mass of shadow below peered out like 
a star the steady blaze of a lamp. 

"Hello, Tom," I said; "I wonder for what pur- 
pose a lamp is burning in this deserted spot?" 

"I cannot answer that question," said my friend. 
"We are some distance from Eoseau, and I was 
not aware that there were any houses in this di- 
rection. But let us see." 

We scrambled along with some difficulty in the 

37 ' 



In Old Roseau. 

darkness, now rolling into an unseen hollow, or 
stumbling over some mound of earth, until finally 
my companion, who was a little distance ahead of 
me, stopped, and, as I came up with him, laid his 
hand on my arm and drew me down to the ground 
beside him. In a little hollow a few feet below 
us stood three native huts, enclosed in an area of 
bright, dewy grass. In the largest of the huts, 
which faced down the valley directly to our front, 
hung a small iron lamp, which gave the light we 
had seen. Beneath the lamp swung a hammock 
suspended from the wall on either side, and kept in 
motion by a woman of apparently thirty, whose 
beauty, but for another more attractive object, 
would alone have rewarded us for our toil. 

The other huts seemed dark and apparently un- 
occupied, but the door and window shutters of 
the one in which we were gazing so intently were 
thrown wide open to give admission to the cool 
night air, and in and out between the light of the 
lamp and the full moon, which had now arisen, 
walked, in bare feet, a young girl of some sixteen 
years, whose exquisite symmetry and unconscious 
but divine grace of movement filled my sense of 
beauty as it never had been filled before. A large 
shawl, common in the Far East, was attached to 
her girdle, and in more guarded hours concealed a 
large part of her person. It hung in loose folds 

38 



In Old Roseau. 

from her waist, leaving her bust and smoothly- 
rounded shoulders entirely bare; the raven-black 
hair floating over her back showing up in strong 
relief on her clear, brown skin. A short petticoat 
of some striped stuff stretched to her knees, while 
below the limbs were bare. A profusion of rings 
on her fingers, and what looked in the moonlight 
like anklets of silver on each daintily turned limb, 
completed her dress. She was at that divinest mo- 
ment of female life when it would seem that her 
womanhood was but just completed. 

She was employed in filling a large jar with 
water from a spring back of the house. She would 
come out with her empty pitcher, and return with 
it filled, her two hands pressing closely the sides 
of the vessel, and treading lightly lest she should 
disturb the slumbers of the little one in the ham- 
mock. 

We watched her for some time in silence, hardly 
daring to stir for fear of being observed. Finally, 
a silent nod from the woman announced to the 
lovely water-carrier that her labors might cease. 

She stopped for a moment in the full glare of 
the light, and with a gesture expressive of heat 
she drew out the shawl from her girdle, untied 
the short petticoat, and threw them aside. Then, 
taking from a hook near at hand a loose garment 
of some light stuff, she leisurely proceeded to don 

39, 



In Old Eoseau. 

it, after which she sat down in the open doorway, 
dropped her head on her knees, and was as mo- 
tionless as marble. 

"What a picture/' I whispered to Tom. "Look 
at the glare of the moonlight on that glittering 
jet-black hair veiling about her in such masses." 

"And the air of melancholy repose in that atti- 
tude/' said Tom; "she must be an Asiatic or East 
India Coolie girl." 

Noiselessly we crawled back along the path 
that we had come, until at such a distance as to 
render further precaution unnecessary, when we 
proceeded leisurely to the inn. 

We had seen a picture that night in Old Roseau 
such as the brush of no artist could paint, and no 
poet find language for expression. 

My friend was right in his conjecture, as we 
afterwards learned; the family was a Coolie one. 

Plantation work in Dominica is done largely by 
Coolies brought over from India, by the Govern- 
ment. They bind themselves to stay for a period 
of ten years. The first five they are to remain in 
the employ of the man they are hired to. The next 
five they can work where they choose. They re- 
ceive a shilling a day, and pay their masters two 
shillings a week for rations, which leaves them 
four shillings a week. At one time the Govern- 
ment allowed them to purchase their own rations; 

40 



In Old Roseau. 

"but this method worked poorly, as they did not 
properly feed themselves, so anxious were they to 
save. The consequence was that the hospitals 
were soon filled with them. Now the proprietor of 
an estate is compelled to furnish rations approved 
by the Government. At the expiration of two 
years the Government obligates itself to return the 
Coolie to his native land, or, if he prefers remain- 
ing on the island, to give him the price of his pas- 
sage money. It does not seem possible that out of 
such small wages they would be able to accumu- 
late at all; but it is said that many of them return 
home with a snug little sum, and some purchase 
land and remain on the island. There are several 
that are very well-to-do, and own large tracts of 
land. 

It is no uncommon sight to see a Coolie woman, 
bare-footed, with a dress on that perhaps cost a 
dollar, but with jewelry on her person in the shape 
of rings, anklets or bracelets valued at several 
hundred dollars. In that way many of them carry 
their savings, amounting to a small fortune, about 
with them. And we were told that robbery is 
almost unknown, for a thief would know full well 
if he obtained possession of the jewels he could 
nev^r get away from the island. 



41 



CHAPTER V. 

THE OBEAH PRACTISE. 

A Form of Fetichism Which Had Existed for Ages, 
and Still Exists to Perfection, in the West 
Indian Islands. 

The superstition which existed in ancient times 
in the power of talismans, amulets and charms of 
all kinds, it would seem, finds a parallel in our 
own amongst the negroes of the West Indian Isl- 
ands, where it exists in perfection under the name 
of Obeah or Obi, a form of fetichism which most 
likely originated in Egypt and certain portions of 
Africa, where tradition states there existed at one 
time a demon by the name of Ob or Obeahy and 
from whom Moses commanded the Israelites to 
abstain from making any inquiries. It would 
seem, therefore, that this form of fetichism must 
have been carried to the West Indies by captured 
negroes in slavery times, and there developed into 
an oracle and the patron of all kinds of super- 
stitious delusions. 

Those who practice fetichism of this kind are 
called Obeah men or women, for both sexes are 
supposed to become adept in this mysterious sci- 
ence. Those that attract the most devotion and 
confidence are such as are old and crafty, and 
whose hoary heads give them at least an appear- 

42 



In Old Roseau. 

ance of antiquity. In the town of Roseau one was 
pointed out to me who was said to he an Oheah 
man, and whose age was known to he at least 
ninety-three. He had a peculiarly harsh and for- 
hidding aspect, and not at all calculated to inspire 
one with awe, hut rather fear. He was hent nearly 
douhle, and one eye was concealed from view hy 
means of a huge hlack patch. This man's name 
was Drondeleau, and he was much sought after hy 
the natives of Roseau and the adjoining country, 
and his talismanic powers were supposed to he un- 
surpassed. 

Most of these creatures, I think, have some 
knowledge of the native plants of a medical and 
poisonous species and have qualified themselves 
sufficiently for successful imposition upon the ig- 
norant and credulous. A professor at Hamilton Col- 
lege, Barhadoes, informed me that it was surprising 
to find how large a numher of natives revere and 
consult these Obeah men, and what implicit faith 
they repose in them, whether for the cure of dis- 
ease, the obtaining of revenge for insult and in- 
jury, conciliating the favor or love of the opposite 
sex, or the prediction of future events. The busi- 
ness of these impostors is said to be quite lucra- 
tive, and they sell their Obeis adapted to the vari- 
ous cases at different prices, corresponding to the 
wants of the individuals. The most of their work 

43 



In Old Roseau. 

is done during the midnight hour, purposely to 
conceal and keep from discovery by the white peo- 
ple, and also to add a veil of mystery to their ac- 
tions. The deluded negroes so thoroughly believe 
in their supernatural power that they become will- 
ing accomplices to this concealment. The most 
courageous native will tremble at sight of the 
ragged bundle or the little bunch of bird's claws 
and feathers that may be hung over the door of 
the hut to deter marauders. Most of the cases of 
sudden death that occur in the islands are by the 
ignorant natives ascribed wholly to the workings 
of an Obei. Then they will not reveal even a sus- 
picion through a dread of incurring the terrible 
vengeance of the Obeah man should they betray 
him. For this reason it is extremely difficult to 
detect one of these miscreants from any other 
negro. 

When a native has been robbed of any article, 
he immediately applies to the Obeah man of the 
neighborhood, and the fact is made known that 
an Obei is set for the thief, who becomes so terri- 
fied that, as an only resource, he applies to the 
superior skill of some more prominent Obeah man 
to counteract the workings or spell of the first. If 
he does not succeed in finding such a one, or his 
imagination leads him to feel himself still afflicted, 
the chances are that he soon falls into a condition 

44 



In Old Roseau. 

of complete melancholy, sleep and appetite leave 
him, his strength rapidly fails, and he is a com- 
plete wreck, both bodily and mentally, gradually 
sinking into the grave. 

The Obei is usually composed of a great variety 
of materials, such as blood, feathers, bird's claws, 
pieces of bone, hair, teeth of different animals, etc. 
Dr. Barnham, who practised medicine in Dominica 
in the last century, spoke of numerous cases of 
poisoning by Obeah men that came to the notice of 
the colonists at that time. In such a secret and in- 
sidious manner was the poisoning done, that detec- 
tion was rendered almost impossible. The murder- 
ers were occasionally brought to justice, but it is 
reasonable to believe that by far the greater num- 
ber escaped. A singular case occurred in Trinidad 
a few months ago, which will serve to illustrate to 
what extent this awful practise is sometimes car- 
ried. A man by the name of La Fave, with his 
family, lived near another negro called Umbredo. 
The latter had for some years made his living as 
an Obeah man, and so great was the terror inspired 
by him that the natives obeyed him implicity. 
La Fave alone declined to believe in Umbredo, 
saying that he could do no more than any other 
man, and called him a fraud and impostor. This so 
enraged Umbredo that he declared that all the food 
the La Fave family ate would henceforth act as 

45' 



In Old Roseau. 

poison, and that before the month was out not a 
member of the family would be living. Two days 
later the La Fave family, consisting of the father, 
mother and eight children, grew suddenly ill after 
dinner. By two o'clock one of the children was 
dead. By six a second victim was added to the list, 
and at nine o'clock a third. Instead of going to 
the authorities in regard to the matter, the La 
Fave family were now firmly convinced that Um- 
bredo was really possessed of supernatural power 
and could visit his wrath upon those who offended 
him; so they determined to keep the whole matter 
secret, fearing that further vengeance might be 
wrought upon them. Before the funeral of the 
three children took place a fourth died, while the 
six other members of the family were dangerously 
ill; that forenoon the mother died, and during the 
evening still another child. The father, who had 
eaten less heartily than the rest of the family, re- 
covered sufficiently to be about; but his mind was 
gone, and he would not touch a mouthful of food 
for fear of being poisoned. Two days later he died 
in convulsions. In less than a week's time the re- 
maining members of the family were dead, and 
the Obeah man's prophecy was fulfilled. As soon 
as the white residents learned the facts, Umbredo 
was hidden or spirited away by the colored people, 
and, at last accounts, had never been found. 

46 



In Old Roseau. 

The following is a narrative respecting Obei in 
Jamaica during the days of slavery, many years 
ago: 

Upon returning to Jamaica, after a short resi- 
dence in England, a planter found that a great 
many of his negroes had died during his absence, 
and that of such as remained alive at least one- 
half were debilitated, bloated and in a deplorable 
condition. The mortality continued upon his re- 
turn, and frequently two or three were buried in 
one day, while others were taken ill and began to 
decline under the same symptoms. All was done 
by medicine and the most careful nursing that 
could be done to preserve the lives of the feeblest; 
but, in spite of all his endeavors, this depopulation 
went on for a twelve-month longer, with more or 
less intermission, and without his being able to as- 
certain the real cause, though the Obeah practise 
was strongly suspected as well by himself as by the 
doctor and other white persons on the plantation. 
Still, he was unable to verify his suspicions, be- 
cause the patients constantly denied having any- 
thing to do with persons of that order, or any 
knowledge of them. At length, a negress, who had 
been ill for some time, came one day and informed 
him that, feeling it was impossible for her to live 
much longer, she felt herself bound in duty before 
she died to impart a very great secret and acquaint 



In Old Roseau. 

him with, the true cause of the disorder, hoping 
that the disclosure might prove the means of 
stopping the mischief which had already swept 
away such a number of her fellow-slaves. She 
proceeded to say that her stepmother, a woman 
more than eighty years of age, but still hale and 
active, had put Obei upon her, as she had also 
done upon those that had lately died, and that the 
old woman had practised Obei for as many years as 
she could remember. The other negroes of the 
plantation no sooner heard of this impeachment 
than they ran in a body to their master and con- 
firmed the truth of it, adding that she had carried 
on this business ever since her arrival from Africa, 
and was the terror of the whole neighborhood. 
Upon this he repaired directly with six white ser- 
vants to the old woman's home, and forcing the 
door open, observed the whole inside of the roof, 
which was of thatch, and every crevice of the walls 
stuck with the implements of her trade, consisting 
of rags, feathers, bones of cats, and a thousand 
and other articles. Examining further, a large 
earthen pot or jar, closely covered, was concealed 
under the bed. It contained a prodigious quantity 
of round bulk of earth or clay of various dimen- 
sions, whitened on the outside, and variously com- 
pounded — some with hair and rags, or feathers of 
•all sorts, and strongly bound with twine; others 

48 



In Old Roseau- 
blended with the upper section of the skulls of 
cats, or stuck around with cat's teeth and claws, 
or with human or dog's teeth and glass beads of 
different colors. There were also a great many 
egg shells filled with a viscous or gummy sub- 
stance, the properties of which he neglected to ex- 
amine, and many little bags stuffed with a variety 
of articles, the particulars of which cannot now 
be recollected. The house was immediately pulled 
down, and the whole of its contents committed to 
the flames, amid the general acclamation of all the 
negroes. In regard to the old woman, he declined 
bringing her to trial under the law of the island, 
which would have punished her with death, but 
from a principle of humanity delivered her into 
the hands of a party of Spaniards, who, as she was 
capable of doing some trifling kinds of work, were 
willing to carry her with them to Cuba. From 
the moment of her departure all his negroes 
seemed to be animated with new life, and the mal- 
ady spread no further among them. The total loss 
of life, in the course of about fifteen years previous 
to the discovery of the Obeah practise, and imput- 
able solely to that, he estimated as at least one 
hundred negroes. 



49 



CHAPTER VI. 

WE VISIT THE GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL, 
AND SEE SOME CASES OF LEPROSY. 

One morning early we visited the Government 
Hospital, situated on the top of a mountain back 
of the town. It is a large, commodious building, 
with every facility for taking care of the island 
poor. It was a long walk all the way up hill, so 
it necessarily required a great deal of sweating 
and puffing before we arrived there. It was well 
worth the effort, though, for the magnificent view 
afforded, if for nothing more. We were met at 
the gate by a young colored man, assistant to the 
physician in charge, who kindly offered to show 
us through the wards. 

There were a great many patients in the build- 
ing at the time, most of them being the poorest 
class of the natives and plantation Coolies. The 
prevailing disease was fever of a malarial type, 
brought on by hardship and exposure. We saw a 
few cases of consumption, but that is a rare dis- 
ease, and among the better classes almost un- 
known. 

There was one ward which particularly inter- 
ested us, that containing the lepers. There were 
only a few patients suffering from the loathsome 

50 



In Old Roseau. 

disease, but they were well-marked eases. One poor 
fellow had lost all the toes from both feet, his fin- 
gers were drawn out of shape, some of the joints, 
like the toes, having dropped off, and his face was 
beginning to show signs of the affliction, a large 
nicer having appeared upon his nose. This dis- 
ease is quite prevalent in the West Indian Islands, 
and is no doubt identical with the ancient leprosy, 
or Elephantiasis graecorum, of Bible times. In 
spite of all the means that art and human fore- 
sight can suggest in regard to cleanliness of person 
and property, the use of manifold methods of treat- 
ment for the cure of the disease, and the preserva- 
tion of health, this singular ailment has kept its 
foothold. Neither medical knowledge nor the 
power of drugs seem to have any effect; whether 
because the disease is of its own nature mortal, or 
that its cause and treatment are not properly un- 
derstood, I will not venture an assertion. 

This peculiar disease may be divided into three 
stages: In the first the skin assumes an unnatural 
whiteness, a morbid or death-like appearance. In 
the second stage this changes to a yellowish color, 
which, in turn, changes in the third stage to a 
deep violet, or even in some cases to a greenish 
hue. Of course, these changes of color are not so 
apparent in the black race. As an accompaniment 
to the first stage, the patient experiences more or 

51 



In Old Roseau. 

less fever with chills, the joints become stiff and 
very weak, there is a feeling of heaviness about the 
chest, and the blood rushes to the head, giving the 
eyes a peculiar, blood-shot appearance, which, con- 
trasted to the whiteness of the skin, gives the vic- 
tim such an unearthly appearance that, once being 
seen, it is never forgotten. The general condition 
of malaise, which constitutes the first stage, may 
be of greater or less severity, and may continue for 
months, or even years— or the disease may pursue 
a very rapid course. Oftentimes the first hint a 
patient receives of his condition is from his com- 
panions, who notice a peculiar color of the skin, as 
above described. 

One of the most marked features of this fright- 
ful malady is the condition of anasthesia, or in- 
sensibility to pain, the sufferer not feeling the 
prick of a pin or cut of a knife. This condition is 
not always found, particularly in the early stages, 
as the patient is then sometimes possessed with 
acute sensibility and suffers at the least touch; 
but in the latter stages it is very marked, and in- 
stances are related of lepers having fallen into 
the fire without knowing it, and were only rescued 
by some one whose attention was attracted by the 
odor of charred flesh. After a time the whole ap- 
pearance of the skin becomes altered, giving place 
to dark, greenish spots, resembling the eccymosis 

52 



In Old Roseau. 

or black and blue spot of a bruise, with which 
every one is familiar. These spots vary in size, 
and are at first separated from each other; but 
gradually they extend until they touch and cover 
the entire body, forming a mantle of rottenness. 
The limbs then begin to swell, followed by a bloat- 
ing of the body, until after a time the skin, dis- 
tended to its utmost limits, bursts, and ulcers of 
the foulest kind are formed. The extremities of 
the hand^ and feet begin to wither, the flesh 
shrinks away from the bones, and, in many cases, 
fingers and toes drop from their articulations, as 
was the case with one of the patients we saw. The 
face is usually much bloated and disfigured, being 
covered with hard red tubercles, varying in size 
from a pea to a hen's egg. The eyes seem almost 
bursting from their sockets, and are often the seat 
of sores, resulting in total blindness. This is the 
last stage, and the skin now presents a dark red- 
dish hue, the internal organs are seen to be the 
seat of tubercles, and sooner or later the lungs be- 
come so filled up that breathing is obstructed, and 
the patient is in momentary danger of suffocation. 
The death struggle is said to be something terrible 
to behold, the sufferer writhing and twisting in 
agony, and tearing the clothing from the throat 
and body in vain efforts for breath, until at last 
he falls back completely exhausted and uncon- 

53 



In Old Roseau. 

scions, and death comes to his release. This disease 
is neither epidemic nor contagious in these islands, 
but seems to confine itself almost entirely to the 
descendents of those first afflicted. 



CHAPTER VII. 

THE STORY OF OLD BUTTMAN'S JTTLE.— A 
DOMINICA TRAGEDY. 

"Do you see that Creole just passing?" said Cap- 
tain James, the Inspector of Police, as we sat one 
day in the pretty little garden back of the old fort 
on the hill. 

"Yes!" I replied; "she is a beauty, too." 

"A few years ago," continued the Inspector, 
lighting his cigar, she was considered the hand- 
somest woman in Roseau, which you will allow is 
saying a good deal, for the old town contains some 
as handsome dark-skinned beauties as it has ever 
been my fortune to meet. But there is a strange 
story connected with her life, which you, as a visi- 
tor to the island, might be interested in, and which 
shows to what extent this class of the mixed type 
are governed by the passions of love and hate." 

"I would be delighted to' hear it," I replied, 
knowing Captain James' reputation as a story- 
teller. 

54 



In Old Roseau. 

"Her right name is Jule Kivera. Five years ago 
she lived with her old father at Prince Kupert's 
Bay, a small town on the north side of the island. 
The place itself is of little import, being princi- 
pally a port where American whalemen and other 
vessels put in for water, fruit and fresh provisions. 
Her father had resided there for years, and eked 
out an existence for himself and family by supply- 
ing the vessels, and also trading a little native rum 
and other articles when opportunity offered. 

"When Jule was about seventeen years of age, the 
mate of a New Bedford whaling vessel, that was 
cruising in these waters, became enamoured with 
the girl, and, finally, gave up his job, settled down 
on shore and married her. He had some little 
means of his own, for he had an outfit come from 
the States, fitted up a whaling station with a fine 
large boat, and all the appurtenances necessary to 
pursue that vocation from the shore. He was 
fairly successful in his venture, and for a time all 
went well. He was three times the age of Jule, 
and people wondered when she married him; but 
for all that, they seemed to be a devoted couple, 
and she made him a good wife. 

"Not long after his marriage, old Buttman, 
that was her husband's name, sent for his nephew, 
a young fellow of about twenty, to come out and 
help him in his business, as few here understood 

55 



In Old Roseau. 

that kind of work. Well, he came out, and made 
his home with them. He was a handsome, ener- 
getic boy, whom everybody liked. It was a rather 
•risky experiment, that, bringing a chap like him 
to live under the same roof with a young woman 
of Jule's temperament and disposition, particularly 
when her husband was as old as her father. The 
result can be imagined. They grew to like each 
other, and when a young woman of her kind likes, 
it is something more than platonic. She loves, 
and that, too, with her whole heart and soul. 
There is no half-way business about it, and so it 
proved in this case. The young man, whose name 
was Jim Band, despite his affection for her, had 
enough respect for his uncle to control his feelings 
and not commit any act that would bring disgrace 
upon the old man or break up his family relations. 

"Jule took in the situation fully, but with her 
passionate disposition love knew no bounds. To 
hope was to have. No obstacle could present itself 
in her path but that might be surmounted, if not 
by fair means, by foul. 

"Well, one morning old Buttman was found 
dead in bed. There was not so much as a scratch 
upon him anywhere, and death was pronounced 
due to heart disease, or some other natural cause. 
The week following Jule came over to Eoseau, 
and took up her abode, for a time, with her fa- 

56 



In Old Roseau. 

ther's sister. A few months later she returned to 
Prince Kupert's, when she and young Jim were 
married. 

"It is said that the course of true love never 
runs smooth, and it seems that the case of the fair 
Jule was to be no exception. 

"Pierre Eivera had another daughter besides 
Jule, named Lila, something over a year younger. 
She, likewise, set her eyes in a loving way upon 
Jim, and her heart went out to him. Jim liked 
her well enough for a companion to while away an 
idle hour, but when it came to a question of love 
his heart failed to respond in that ardent and af- 
fectionate manner that one of Lila's temperament 
would demand. Still, he was attentive to her. 
She knew he could not marry her sister, for she 
already had a husband, and she hoped in time he 
would prove susceptible to her charms. 

"After Buttman's death there was a change in 
her demeanor towards her sister. Previous to that 
she knew that Jule was no impediment in the way 
of her marrying Jim, and she loved her; but now 
things were so different, that love was turned to 
bitter hatred. 

Things went along quietly, though, until her 
sister and Jim were married. From that moment 
she seemed like a caged tigress. For some reason, 
her sister seemed to hate her with an equal in- 

57 



In Old Roseau. 

tensity. One day there was a disturbance in the 
Rand household. High words were heard, and 
shortly afterwards young Jim was seen to leave the 
house, take his boat, and row off to one of the 
whalemen lying at anchor in the cove. The vessel 
sailed that night, and from that time Jim Rand 
was never again seen on the island of Dominica. 
After his departure terrible screams were heard in 
the house. The neighbors rushed in. There in 
the middle of the room stood the two sisters, each 
armed with a knife. Their eyes depicted the 
hatred of their hearts. They grasped each other 
by their long hair, which had become disengaged 
from its fastenings, and hung in rich profusion 
around their faces and shoulders, and showered 
blow after blow upon each other with their knives. 
Shriek after shriek rent the air. Jule accused 
Lila of trying to steal her husband's affections. 
Lila called her sister a murderess, and said she 
killed old Buttman, her former husband. 

"Finally, they were separated, but Lila had been 
wounded unto the death, and her sister nearly so. 
The port doctor was called, but his services were 
of no avail, so far as Lila was concerned, for she 
died two hours later from the terrible knife cut 
in her throat. Before she passed away, however, 
she told her story, and what led up to the cause 
of the last tragedy. It seemed the night that 

58 



In Old Roseau. 

Buttman died she had been out for a stroll with 
Jim. It was quite late when he left her at her 
father's door, which was but a few steps from her 
sister's house. Being somewhat jealous of her 
sister, she waited until Jim had reached home 
and entered the house, when she stole softly across 
that she might look into the window and satisfy 
her curiosity as to what might transpire. The 
shutters were wide open, to let in the cool night 
air, and there was nothing to obstruct her view. 

Jim, for some reason, went directly to his room, 
which was in another part of the house. Jule, 
who had evidently been awaiting his return, was 
enraged at his apparent indifference. Her sister 
had but to get one glance of her face, almost livid 
with rage, to see this. Something must happen. 
She knew Jule too well to know that the turmoil 
within her breast would subside without some out- 
burst. It came in a manner that she least ex- 
pected. She saw her wring her hands in apparent 
agony of mind. Then she shook her clinched fist 
at the sleeping form of her husband in the ad- 
joining room. She stopped for a moment, as 
though in thought. Her eyes flashed, and her lips 
parted in a smile. She went to the little work- 
table opposite and opened a drawer. Lila watched 
her, almost breathless in her excitement. She took 
out a long, heavy steel pin with a small brass head 

59 



In Old Roseau. 

of some fancy design. It had been given her years 
before by some whaleman admirer. It conld be 
used for a variety of purposes. It was intended for 
an ornamental hat-pin in the country where it 
came from; but it could be used now as a weapon, 
and a formidable one it would be, too, in the hands 
of a dangerous woman. She grasped it firmly in 
her hand, and stole softly towards the sleeping 
figure. Buttman's shirt was open, exposing his 
throat and chest. She pressed it against his left 
breast and bore upon it with her full weight. Lila 
saw it sink in its full length. He gave a sudden 
start, as though trying to raise himself in bed, 
then, without a moan, sank back upon his pillow, 
dead. Jule removed the pin, carefully wiped it 
upon her skirt, and replaced it in the drawer. 
After this she threw herself down in a chair, where 
she remained until morning. 

"Lila kept her secret, and bided her time. She 
saw through it all. The passion of her sister's love 
for Jim was beyond control. She would lose Jim 
now, she knew that; but so should her sister. You 
do not know the power of love and hate in these 
people. Revenge is sweet. She would wait. They 
would be married. She would afterward appear 
upon the scene. She secretly gloated in her heart 
upon the trouble her denouncement would make. 
She cared nothing about the case from its legal as- 

60 



In Old Roseau. 

pect. The matter of her personal spite, and hu- 
miliating her sister in her husband's affections, 
and causing a separation, was all that she could 
desire or hope for; was not that revenge of the 
sweetest kind? 

"Well, to make a long story short, she waited 
until three weeks after the marriage. It was diffi- 
cult to do so. Love may be kept within bounds, 
but it is hard to control the passion of hatred, 
when once it arises with all its power within us. 

"Her sister and Jim seemed particularly happy 
on the day in question. He, poor fellow, was in- 
nocent enough; but why should she spare him? 
She walked quietly into the house and denounced 
her sister as a murderess before her husband. Jule 
turned pale, and tried to deny the whole; but Lila 
continued, and told her story to the end, and 
wound up by going to the table drawer, and taking 
from it the brass-headed pin and holding it up to 
the bewildered gaze of Jule's husband, she said: 

" 'Jim, this is what she did it with/ 

"In vain Jule denied her guilt. She plead and 
raved. Jim saw through it all. With a curse on 
his lips he left the house, never to return. Then 
came the terrible struggle between the sisters, with 
the result as described. 

"After Lila's death, Jule was arrested and com- 
mitted to prison. The trial was an exciting one. 

61 



In Old Koseau. 

There were no witnesses to appear against her. 
She swore it was all jealousy on the part of her 
sister that caused her to tell the story she did con- 
cerning the death of her former husband, to 
prejudice Jim against her, and there was no truth 
in it. So far as Lila's death was concerned, she 
only defended herself, and was cut up nearly as 
badly as was her sister. 

"Jule was a beautiful woman. The jury sympa- 
thized with her, as is usually the case, and, after 
a long trial, she was acquitted. 

"To-day she is living quietly with her aunt, here 
in Roseau. A proud-spirited, beautiful woman, 
but on her brow is a mark that can never be ef- 
faced — the mark of Cain." 



PART II. 

AMONG THE CARIBS. 

A Continuation of My Experiences in 

Dominica, 

and 

Reminiscences of a Sojourn Among the 

Remnants of a Once Powerful People. 

"To-morrow I sail for those cinnamon groves 
Where nightly the ghost of the Carribee roves." 



CHAPTER I. 

AMONG THE CARIBS. 

Reminiscences and a Determination to See the Ma- 
hoe Country and its Carib Inhabitants. 

I had spent several weeks in that old and truly 
delightful town of Roseau, musing among those 
interesting remains that are the witnesses of its 
former prosperity and the proofs of its present 
decay, and when I had sipped my coffee this last 
morning, and had looked for awhile from the win- 
dow of my apartments into the little courtyard 
below, where nothing was to be seen but two or 
three idle black fellows, sitting with their backs 
to the wall, apparently too lazy to even shift their 
position and get into the shade, I felt somewhat 
at a loss what to do with myself. One-half hour 
I spent in chatting with a dark-eyed Creole maid, 
who was doing service at the inn; this being by no 
means a new diversion, I soon tired of it, and, 
finally, taking my hat, I walked into the street and 
strolled for at least the twentieth time through 
the pretty little park, and wondered for the twenti- 
eth time how it was possible to keep that public 
garden in such a neat condition and such a myriad 
of flowers in constant bloom with so little labor. 
I next found myself standing in the old Cathedral, 

65 



In Old Roseau. 

where ever and anon a dusky face would pass me 
and, crossing herself, kneel at the altar and repeat 
the prayer that constant service had so indelibly 
impressed upon the mind as to render its saying 
almost mechanical. I came out of the Cathedral 
and strolled down the street. I stopped for a mo- 
ment to watch a group of women bearing baskets 
of fruit upon their heads to the Roseau market, 
and I wondered again at the mathematical exact- 
ness required to so evenly balance a heavy weight 
upon the head with no help whatever from the 
hands. With body erect, arms hanging gracefully 
by the side, the half-uncovered bosom, fully de- 
veloped by this manner of life, rising and falling 
as theytripped lightly along. The picture was one 
for an artist. I continued my walk, and turned so 
as to take me away from the streets of the town 
and down to an old bridge over the Roseau River. 
Loitering upon a bridge, one generally leans for 
awhile over the parapet on one side, and then 
crosses to the opposite parapet, next bending for 
awhile over it; and so I did on this bridge at Ro- 
seau. I watched a long time a half score of Domin- 
ican damsels washing clothes in the river, every 
one conspicuous by her bright-colored petticoat, 
very short, coming some three inches above the 
knees, showing in most of them an exquisite con- 
tour of dusky limbs below, while the outer skirt, 

GO 



In Old Roseau. 

which covers all when on the street, was thrown 
over the head, as a shelter from the sun. I was 
much amused, while watching them, at the pre- 
cocious gallantry of two very young English boys 
from the town, who endeavored co attract the at- 
tention of these water nymphs by throwing pebbles 
into the stream, and who were sometimes rewarded 
by the upward glance of several pairs of dark eyes; 
and having seen all that was to be seen from one 
parapet, I crossed to the other, from which nothing 
was to be seen at all, excepting the river in its 
deep, rocky bed, and, beyond it, the high, broad 
range of the Dominican Mountains, a scene not 
without its charm, however, to the lover of the 
wild, the desolate and the picturesque. 

When one looks upon a lofty mountain range, 
fancy generally travels beyond it, and the eye 
wanders in imagination over those countries from 
which it separates us. 

"Those are the Dominican Mountains/' I said 
to myself, "and what lies beyond? Is it not the 
Mahoe country, inhabited by the remnant of that 
once powerful tribe, the Carib Indians, so memor- 
able in the early Columbian history?'' What a host 
of vivid and delightful recollections instantly 
started into being! In a few moments I had lived 
over again the many happy hours of childhood 
spent in the perusal of that imperishable monu- 

67 



In Old Roseau. 

ment of the genius of Irving, "The "Voyages of 
Columbus," and when I again looked towards the 
mountains that separated me from the land of 
Mahoe, I saw the tall, spare figure of the courteous 
voyager, standing erect, his grave countenance ex- 
pressing a consciousness of his high destiny, and 
around him clustered in a group, with a look of 
wonderment and timidity depicted on their faces, 
were the Caribs, as he saw them on his second 
voyage of discovery. 

At the present time but two islands in the Car- 
ribean Sea, Gaudaloupe and Dominica, contain a 
remnant of these once powerful people. A people 
with a most wonderful history; an unwritten and 
forgotten history, running back unnumbered ages, 
farther than we can trace it, but first beginning to 
be known to man when the existence of the new 
continent dawned upon his awakened senses. 

"Columbus found the Caribs a powerful and 
warlike people, entirely different from the peace- 
ful, mild-mannered natives that he first encoun- 
tered. They were trained to war from their in- 
fancy; their distant roamings by sea made them ob- 
servant and intelligent. They went, on predatory 
enterprises, in canoes • made from the hollowed 
trunks of trees, to the distance of one hundred and 
fifty leagues. Their arms were bows and arrows, 
pointed with the bones of fishes, or shells of tor- 

68 



In Old Roseau. 

toise, and poisoned with the juice of a certain 
herb. They made descents upon the various isl- 
ands, ravaged the villages, carried off the youngest 
and handsomest of the women, and made prisoners 
of the men, to be killed and eaten. When the men 
went forth on these expeditions, the women re- 
mained to defend their shores from invasion. The 
natives of the other islands only knew how to 
divide time by day and night by the sun and 
moon; whereas, these had acquired some knowl- 
edge of the stars, by which to calculate the times 
and seasons.' 9 

Little thought I in those early days that I 
would ever have it in my power to visit this far-off 
sunny isle of the Carribean, but now that wish had 
been gratified, I had seen all that was quaint or 
curious in old Roseau and the eastern part of Do- 
minica. I had no wish to return to the States. It 
was yet too early to escape the cold winter there, 
and why not, therefore, change my dream to a 
reality? "I'll cross the mountains to-morrow, or 
as soon as it is possible to make the arrangements/' 
I said to myself, and two days later at the most I 
will be in the Mahoe country among the Caribs; 
and so strong a hold had this idea taken of my 
mind, that neither the picturesque outline of the 
old town itself, nor the half-robed charms of the 
Dominican damsels. had any attraction for me now. 

G9 



In Old Eoseau. 

I fixed my eyes once more on the distant mountain 
range, and, turning hastily away, made all speed 
back to the inn that I might make my arrange- 
ments for the prospective journey, such as provid- 
ing myself with a sure-footed beast and a suitable 
guide; the latter, if possible, to be a native Carib, 
several of which I had seen that day in the market- 
place with their baskets for sale. 



CHAPTER II. 

THE START.— JEAN BAPTISTE PIERRE.— I 
REACH THE MAHOE COUNTRY. 

A more beautiful morning never dawned upon 
the mountain tops than that which broke upon the 
Dominican Mountains two days later, when, as 
the early convent bells were chiming, we crossed 
the bridge where it seemed but yesterday I was 
an idle dreamer, and following the well-beaten 
foot-path that leads from the old town, we turned 
our horses' heads towards that El Dorado of which 
we were in search. 

The sun had arisen in a cloudless sky, and look- 
ing back from the winding mountain path upon 
the town, seemed like a city floating in the air, for 
a sea of light vapor hung over the Roseau River, 
and like a veil shut out all but the taller buildings 



In Old Koseau. 

and the towers of the Cathedral, which lifted them- 
selves above the mists, bathed in the golden light 
of morning. I had never started out on a journey 
with half the buoyancy I felt that morning. 
Everything had been favorable for me. I had se- 
cured two ponies, which would transport us at 
least a part, if not the whole, of our journey, and 
the guide, Jean Baptiste Pierre, a mixture of the 
blood of some wandering Frenchman with that of 
the native Carib, was a most valuable acquisition, 
for his linguistic attainments alone, if for nothing 
more. He spoke a patois, or dialect of his own, 
derived from the French, Carib and English, and 
a more abominable mix-up of language it would be 
impossible to find. 

While ascending the mountain I had leisure, 
for the first time, to think of making acquaintance 
with my guide, and was ready with the offer of an 
American cigar, which, by the way, is much better 
than the native article, to secure his good-will. 
He was a young man of about twenty-four, and it 
was evident from his dress that he considered 
himself something a little above the ordinary Ca- 
rib. It consisted of cotton pants, calico shirt, 
broad straw hat, braided from some native grass; 
shoes upon the feet, and, what was most conspicu- 
ous, a red sash of some cotton stuff, taking the 
place of a belt around his waist. 

71 



In Old Roseau. 

Taking the proffered cigar, lie tlianked me, and, 
in answer to my question as to his antecedent his- 
tory, and how his father, a Frenchman, came to 
stray to this far-off Carib settlement, he replied: 

"My father, monsieur, he was ze French sailor, 
and as there was reason for most things, there was 
also reason why he should leave his native land. 
My father," he explained, "he was in what you 
call ze cafe. An English sailor he come in, zay 
drink ze wine too much. Presently zay quarrel 
about ze cards zay play. My father he give him 
his knife." 

"How," said I, "did giving him his knife help 
out the quarrel?" 

"You no understand, monsieur; he stick ze knife 
in his ribs." 

"Murdered him, then?" I said. 

"As you plaise to call him, monsieur." 

"How did your worthy father escape the laws of 
his country, Jean Baptist e," I asked; "surely one 
man cannot kill another in France, and not be 
made to suffer therefor?" 

"Oh, zar was ze prosession, of what you call ze 
political, going by at ze time, and ze people was 
too much busy watching them to notice ze little 
accident right away; and my father stepped out 
unperceived, and concealed himself for two days, 
when he stow himself away on English vessel for 

72 



In Old Roseau. 

ze West Indies. When ze vessel out at sea lie come 
on deck. He good sailor man, and ze captain he 
no hear of ze murder, as you call him. He work 
his way to Barbadoes, then he leave ze vessel. He 
come here on small fishing boat. He work in 
Eoseau some time. He see my mother one day in 
market-place, where she go to sell ze basket. She 
nice-looking gal then. He come out to Mahoe 
country same as we go to-day. She like him. He 
like her. He live here till two year ago when he 
die." 

By the time Jean Baptiste Pierre had finished 
his story, which was quite amusing to me, and af- 
forded a fair insight into his easy-going character, 
we had reached the highest part of the first range, 
and begun to descend into a valley in the heart of 
the mountains. 

The mountains of Dominica, I think, are wilder 
than those of any of the other West Indian islands, 
and the path we were pursuing, since leaving the 
main road, was very little traveled; the Caribs, 
in their occasional visits to Eoseau to dispose of 
their handiwork, in the shape of the wonderful 
baskets, made of grass, and so closely woven as to 
be water-tight, being almost the only ones that 
used the path, and they generally went on foot. 

For two hours in the middle of the day the heat 
was excessive, and we rested in the shade beside 

73 



In Old Roseau. 

a mountain stream. There we partook of the food 
we had brought with us, washed down by a glass of 
cool, sparkling water. The glare of broad day had 
withdrawn from the valleys, and a sombre light 
had descended on the mountain tops when we 
reached the little hamlet of Laudet. It comprised 
but three houses, two of which were occupied by 
native families, the third being vacant. An aged 
man and woman came out of the nearest house at 
our approach and made us welcome. Hospitality 
is born in these people, and to be discourteous to 
a stranger is an unpardonable sin. A hammock 
was hung for me in the vacant house, and Jean 
Baptiste Pierre made up for himself a bed of grass 
upon the floor. Before retiring, however, the old 
couple set for us a supper of boiled eggs, cassava 
cakes and coffee, and never meal tasted sweeter 
than did that simple repast in the heart of the 
Dominican Mountains. In the other house lived 
the son of the old couple and his family. Here in 
the native wildness, miles away from anywhere, 
these few people lived in complete obscurity and 
perfect happiness. 

A little garden patch, some goats, a few beans, 
yams, bananas, and other tropical fruits for the 
picking, their every want was supplied. I realized 
that there was more truth than poetry in the old 
adage: "Blessed be nothing/' 

74 



In Old Roseau. 

I will not detail my journey from Laudet, next 
morning. After partaking of coffee and cakes we 
were off before sunrise. Leaving the path that we 
had been following, we struck off to the right, and 
towards noon we reached the further side of the 
mountain, and descended to the plain beyond. 
Here, stopping on a small elevation above the 
stream that crossed our path, my guide pointed to 
the beautiful country that lay spread out before 
us, and said: "Monsieur, that is the Mahoe land." 

CHAPTER III. 

MY ADVENT INTO THE CAEIB SETTLE- 
MENT. — I BECAME ACQUAINTED 
WITH THE FAMILY OF JEAN BAP- 
TISTE PIERRE.— ATTEND DIVINE 
WORSHIP AND MEET WITH A SUR- 
PRISE. 

It was noon that day when we entered the Carib 
reservation and found ourselves at last in the El 
Dorado I had so fondly pictured in my imagina- 
tion. 

This reservation, set apart by the Government, 
extends from the Mahoe River to the Crayfish 
River, a distance of about four miles along the 
Atlantic coast; and from thence back into the 

75 



In Old Roseau. 

mountains as far as they pleased to cultivate. 
There were some forty dwellings, each with a lit- 
tle garden adjacent to the same. Back in the 
mountains were other gardens, where grew the 
various island fruits, as bananas, cocoanuts and 
limes, of which there were great abundance. 

The houses were low and thatched with grass, 
tied into bundles and lashed firmly upon frame- 
works of poles, with wooden doors and shutters. 

As we rode along, from every doorway and win- 
dow gazed a group of curious faces, for the advent 
of a stranger in their midst was of rare occurrence, 
and enough to excite in their minds a feeling of 
wonderment. Without a word, Jean Baptiste 
Pierre rode majestically along, as though fully 
alive to the importance of his mission. He finally 
stopped before a neat little house near the centre 
of the settlement. Here we dismounted, and, 
beckoning me to follow, he entered the dwelling. 

I was first introduced to his mother, a yellow- 
skinned old lady of fifty, who hobbled about with 
a cane. Her fat face beamed all over with good- 
nature, and I saw at once that ze gentleman of 
America, as he pleased to style me, would be a wel- 
come guest. His two sisters, Louise and Marcella, 
aged, respectively, fifteen and seventeen, were 
light-hearted, sunny maidens, in whose veins, like 
his own, flowed the blood of two races. The blood 



In Old Koseau. 

of the Carib showed in the wavy hair, full lips, 
and rich olive complexion, while that of the jovial 
French sailor, who had strayed to these wilds so 
many years ago, gave the delicate contour and 
suppleness of limb, the sparkling, merry black eyes 
and the small hands and feet; clothed at the time 
in a simple garment, gathered about the hips and 
reaching below the knees, they were models that 
would have delighted the eyes of an artist. 

"Bon jour, monsieur," exclaimed the elder of the 
two, as she came forward and extended her hand, 
"we with plaisure welcome ze gentleman." A 
flush stole over the olive cheeks, and the rich red 
lips parted in a smile, showing a set of pearly teeth 
that would have created envy in the heart of a 
society belle. 

The house of Jean Baptiste Pierre was more 
pretentious than most of those in the little settle- 
ment, which consisted of but two rooms. This, 
however, could boast of four, and one of these, 
with a window looking out upon a pretty little 
garden of flowers, in which I fancied I could detect 
the handiwork of Louise and Marcella, was placed 
at my disposal. My portmanteau was brought in, 
which I unpacked, and I soon had the satisfaction 
of feeling that I was at home during my stay in 
the Carib settlement. 

During my visit of several weeks I realized more 

77 



In Old Roseau. 

than once how fortunate I was in having secured 
the services of Jean Baptiste. He hunted with me, 
found some one to do any work that I required, 
smoked my cigars, drank my rum, and slept. He 
would do anything for me but work. He was as 
good and trusty a servant as I had ever found. 
Anything that I wanted he would get, or, if he 
thought it too much trouble, induce one of his 
pretty sisters to get it for me, and they, winsome 
creatures, were always willing to wait upon me, 
and I fancy rather inclined to shirk their house- 
hold duties, whatever they might be, for the privi- 
lege of doing so. 

The majority of the Carib people are very poorly 
clothed, shoes and stockings are possessed by but 
few, and then worn only on special occasions. The 
ordinary dress of the male consists of a pair of cot- 
ton pants and a shirt. That of the women, of a 
loose calico wrapper, girded at the waist; their 
hair, done up in a bright-colored kerchief or 
hanging down their backs in luxurious tresses. 

The complexion of the Caribs is a light olive 
tint. The features are much more regular and deli- 
cate than those of the native type, though, often 
by intermarriage, there is a mixture of the two 
races; but when this occurs that of the Indian pre- 
dominates, and the thick lips and the kinky hair of 
the African are wanting. 

78 



In Old Roseau. 

Among the sexes work is quite equally divided. 
The women do all the work in the house; but out- 
of-doors they work together, the women doing 
fully as much labor as the men. A feeling of 
perfect harmony seems to exist, and no dissatisfac- 
tion arises as to the division of labor, as might be 
the case in a less favored clime. The women are 
treated with love and respect, and during my stay 
in their midst I never heard of a case of wife-beat- 
ing or cruelty, as has often been attributed to them. 

On a little eminence back of the village stands 
a square building, built after the same pattern 
as the native houses, although somewhat larger. 
On the top of the building is a cross, indicating 
that it is a church, and the religion of the people 
Eoman Catholic. Once a month a priest comes 
from over the mountain and holds services. There 
is not a hamlet of any size throughout the island 
where representatives of this church do not go at 
least several times during the course of a year. 

The Sunday following my arrival was fortu- 
nately the one set apart for the visitation of the 
parish priest. The inhabitants of Mahoe, attired 
in all the finery at their command, attend worship 
on these occasions. Louise and Marcella, arrayed 
in bright-colored calico wrappers, white stockings 
and with shoes upon their feet, presented them- 
selves to me early that morning. 

79 



In Old Roseau. 

"Would monsieur like to attend ze church ?" 

"Most assuredly/' I replied, and donning my 
best duck suit, I prepared to accompany them. 

The building, being a small one, would hold but 
a part of the church-going inhabitants, so that dur- 
ing the day there were three services, that none 
might be deprived of the important privilege. 
Jean Baptiste Pierre, for reasons best known to 
himself, preferred to wait until later in the day, 
and, together with his pretty sisters, I wended my 
way to the little chapel on the hilltop. 

Father Gangres, a fat, little Frenchman, went 
through the . services much after the manner of 
one who felt that he had an unpleasant duty to 
perform. A duty that should be done as expe- 
ditiously as possible, and be consistent with the 
solemnities of the occasion. 

There was no music of any kind, and, although 
the congregation was an attentive and devout one, 
the services lacked that solemnity which is usually 
so characteristic of the Catholic church. 

After mass was over we started on our return, 
taking, at the suggestion of Louise, a circuitous 
route through the woods to avoid the heat of the 
sun. We had gone but a short distance when one 
of those sudden showers, coming without a mo- 
ment's warning from an apparently cloudless sky, 
burst upon us. We sought refuge under an over- 

80 



In Old Roseau. 

hanging rock that jutted several feet from the 
mountain side, and afforded us almost complete 
protection. In a brief hour the storm was past, 
and the sun shone as brightly as ever. But an un- 
foreseen obstacle presented itself. The little moun- 
tain stream that separated us from the village was 
swollen to thrice its former proportions. Where 
before we could have stepped from stone to stone 
and passed in safety dry shod, it was now a de- 
cidedly damp undertaking, and would necessitate 
wading nearly to the waist in troubled waters. 

Louise and Marcella were dressed in their Sun- 
day-best. They looked at each other for a moment, 
and then at me, as though in hesitation about 
something; then Louise said: 

"Monsieur will plaise excuse for ze moment," 
and the two dodged behind a rock. 

In a short time they appeared with their shoes 
and stockings in their hands and, holding up their 
skirts, they entered the stream. It was deeper than 
they anticipated, and they retreated to the shore. 
Begging once more to be excused, they again 
sought refuge behind the rock. I fancied I heard 
the rustle of female apparel. I was beginning to 
be interested in the proceedings. "Good heavens, 
thought I, what will those girls do next?" I had 
not long to wait, for they appeared a few mo- 
ments later clad in their single undergarment, 

81 



In Old Roseau. 

with their clothes tied up in a bundle under their 
arm. I fairly held my breath. 

"Louise! Marcella!" I exclaimed. 

"Yes, monsieur." 

"Don't do that again." 

"What monsieur?" 

"Take off any more clothes." 

"Why zat is impossible, monsieur," and, laugh- 
ing merrily, they forded the stream. 

Taking off my shoes and stockings, I followed 
them, wetting my white duck trousers to the waist. 
Standing in the sun for a few moments, my pretty 
guides allowed themselves to dry, after which, 
donning their apparel, we proceeded homeward, 
arriving without further misadventure. 

CHAPTER IV. 

KING GEOKGE.— MY INTKODUCTION.— 

JEAN BAPTISTE PIEKRE AND I 

HUNT THE WILD HOG. 

At the time of my sojourn in the land of Mahoe, 
King George was the recognized head or ruler of 
the Carib nation. His father and grandfather be- 
fore him had filled the same honorable position, 
and since the death of the latter, some twenty years 
before, he had administered the affairs of state in 

82 



In Old Roseau. 

an apparently satisfactory manner to all con- 
cerned. He was a very old man, and the infirmities 
of age, together with the free use of the native 
rum, had converted the aged ruler into little more 
than an automaton. He seldom ventured outside 
of his own dooryard, and the greater part of his 
time was spent in reclining on a wooden settee 
that had been arranged for his convenience in the 
shade of a large tamarind tree. His Majesty spoke 
no English, and very little French, so that conver- 
sation was somewhat difficult, even with an inter- 
preter. I went through the formality of an intro- 
duction hy Jean Baptiste Pierre, who informed me 
that almost the first question he asked was, if I 
knew of anything that would cure him of the gout, 
as he had "become very infirm of late. The old 
man had the opinion that all English-speaking 
people had to a greater or lesser extent some 
knowledge of the science of medicine. 

I realized that nothing could help him, for what 
he designated as gout was a dropsical affection, 
causing his feet and limbs to swell to an enormous 
size. To please him, however, I promised to send 
him a bottle of medicine when I returned to Ro- 
seau. 

I never saw King George again, except in pass- 
ing the house at a distance. In the administration 
of affairs, the word of the old Carib was absolute, 

83 



In Old Roseau. 

from whose decision there was no appeal. The 
culprit, male or female, that was brought before 
him never thought of rebelling at the punishment 
accorded. This was generally a fine of some small 
amount, if the person was the fortunate possessor 
of any money, otherwise so many hours or days 
were to be spent in making baskets that could be 
sold in the market of Eoseau, or working for a 
certain length of time in tilling the soil of the 
royal garden. Any capital offense was looked up 
and tried by the Colonial Government, but these 
were very rare. There had been but one murder 
committed on the reservation during the past 
twenty years. 

One morning early I started out with Jean 
Baptiste Pierre for the mountain forests way back 
of Mahoe, in pursuit of that rare sport, hunting 
the wild hog. It was to be my first experience, but 
my guide was an old hand at the business. The 
hogs of Dominica are not as fierce as those of some 
of the other West Indian Islands, but are by far the 
largest, and with tusks on them that would make 
interesting work for the one who brought them 
to bay. We were to go a certain distance on horse- 
back, rest awhile, and go the remainder of the way 
on foot, accompanied by another Carib and two 
good dogs. We were each armed with a rifle, re- 
volver, and a hunting knife about two feet in 

84 



In Old Roseau. 

length, which could he used as a weapon, but is 
more generally used to cut away the undergrowth 
or canebrake, which obstructs one's way through 
the forest. 

After a ride of about two hours, we came to a 
little hut on the border of the forest. There we 
tied our horses, and found in waiting with his dogs 
our Carib guide, a tall, raw-boned fellow not far 
from sixty, clad in a shirt and linen breeches that 
one time might have been white. On his head he 
wore the remains of a straw hat, on his feet noth- 
ing. Despite his looks, however, we succeeded in 
getting an excellent cup of coffee, some nice cakes 
and fried plantain at his cabin. After thus re- 
freshing ourselves and taking a short rest, we pro- 
ceeded on our journey, pushing into the interior 
of the forest on the northeastern part of the reser- 
vation. The walking was difficult, as the un- 
dergrowth was very hard to penetrate, and the 
progress was necessarily slow. After an hour and 
a half of such traveling our guide informed us that 
we were approaching the ground and, with ordi- 
nary luck, ought soon to see our game. I was be- 
ginning to feel a little discouraged, for after such 
hard walking I was very much fatigued and, see- 
ing no game, was not in the best of spirits. We 
were soon, however, to be rewarded for our pa- 
tience. Having gone a short distance further, we 

85 



In Old Koseau. 

came upon an open space in the forest, and there, 
right before us, not more than twenty rods dis- 
tant, were two immense wild hogs, a boar and sow. 
The dogs immediately rushed forward, and a mo- 
ment later the startled hogs were running as fast 
as their legs could carry them. "We will lose 
them," I cried, and in the excitement involun- 
tarily raised my rifle, intending to fire. "Hold!'' 
shouted Jean Baptiste; "don't waste your shot. 
Come on!" 

We hastened forward after the dogs, and then I 
found to my surprise that the hogs, as soon as they 
reached the further end of the clearing, turned at 
bay, with their backs against a large gum tree. I 
had fully expected chat they would rush out of 
sight in the undergrowth, and that we would lose 
our game. But it looked very favorable for us to 
have all the game we wanted before we were 
through with them, for they stood gnashing their 
teeth and tearing up the ground with their tusks, 
plainly showing their rage at being disturbed. 
When within about thirty feet, Jean Baptiste 
raised his gun and fired. The bullet struck his 
victim between the eyes, and he rolled over dead. 
The other, desperate w T ith rage, made a dart at 
one of the dogs, and with a blow of his tusks laid 
the poor cur bleeding on the ground. I raised my 
gun and fired, but in the excitement missed my 

8G 



In Old Roseau. 

aim. The infuriated beast, taking me for his 
would-be destroyer, rushed toward me with savage 
violence. Dropping my gun, I ran as fast as I 
could across the clearing, having no desire to be 
ripped open by those horrible tusks. I had only 
succeeded in reaching the lower branch of a lime 
tree and hauling myself up out of reach, when the 
animal was on the ground below me. There was a 
cold perspiration all over me, and my heart beat 
faster than was its wont; but I was out of reach 
and safe, at all events. The remaining cur seemed 
afraid to approach the enraged beast since the 
death of his companion; but Jean Baptiste Pierre 
and the guide, who, by the way, had no gun, were 
making their way toward me, keeping as close to 
the lime trees as possible, that they might find 
protection if it was necessary. In this way they 
succeeded in approaching quite near, and Jean 
Baptiste was fortunate enough to drop the beast 
at the first shot. ' I came down from my perch, 
feeling much more comfortable than a few minutes 
before. 

The hogs were large, weighing, I should think, 
from three hundred and fifty to four hundred 
pounds each; I was told that they w T ere often 
larger, sometimes weighing five and six hundred 
pounds. The sport is certainly very exciting, al- 
thought not devoid of danger. Sometimes a herd 

87 



In Old Roseau. 

of twenty or thirty will travel together, but they 
are oftener found in small numbers, from two to 
four, perhaps, being the average. I have since 
heard of several instances where an intrepid hunter 
went alone into the bush, and was kept up a tree 
all night by an enraged animal. Our guide told us 
a story, that had a very fishy savor, of a herd of 
these beasts cutting down a tree with their tusks 
and killing the unfortunate hunter. The flesh of 
the wild hog is very good eating, although quite 
coarse, and not as tender as that of the domestic 
animal. 



CHAPTER V. 

MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE CARIB 
INDIANS.— A FEW INCIDENTS. 

The Carib Indians have not that stoical indif- 
ference, so peculiar to the North American In- 
dians, but rather partake of that jovial disposition 
common to the African. They are fond of singing 
and dancing, and play upon an odd-looking instru- 
ment, somewhat resembling the French guitar, 
except the body of the instrument is much larger, 
and the neck very short. It has, in all, ten gut 
strings, and is tuned by means of wooden screws. 

88 



In Old Roseau. 

Theirs is a weird kind of music, but I found a 
fascination about it much the same as one finds in 
some of the wild airs of the Hungarians. 

Their dances were a mixture between the Portu- 
guese chamareta and our own waltz. They would 
begin by gracefully swaying the body to and fro, 
swinging the arms in midair and snapping the 
fingers, taking a few steps forward and back, then 
swinging their partners, making three or four 
turns, the step being in waltz time. 

Almost every evening, when it was moonlight, 
in some part of the village, I would see these peo- 
ple enjoying themselves with all the freedom and 
innocence of children, and without the slightest 
semblance of vulgarity. 

At Marcella's earnest opportuning I tried the 
dance one night with herself for a partner. I 
knew that my efforts were anything but graceful, 
but no attempt at ridicule did these people make. 
They seemed pleased that I entered into their fes- 
tivities and sought to encourage me by exclama- 
tions of approval. Another form of amusement 
was singing with the guitar accompaniment. Many 
of them possessed good voices, but their singing 
was rendered in such a monotonous kind of a way 
that it really seemed more like a recitation than 
a song. Oftentimes their pieces were impromptu, 
and a take-off on some one in the village. When 

89 



In Old Roseau. 

this was the case, it was always taken in good part 
by the individual referred to. 

I remember one, it was on Jean Baptiste Pierre, 
and translated went something in this manner: 

Jean Baptiste Pierre thinks he is a very fine fellow, 

With his red sash, hat, shoes and shirt — 

But there are others here that are as good as he 

thinks he is. 
La, La, La, La, La, La — La. 

All the cooking among the Caribs is done by 
means of charcoal, which they manufacture them- 
selves. A small stove is built up of stones, ce- 
mented together by mud. In this the charcoal 
fire is started, and on top of the whole is placed 
an iron kettle or piece of flat stone, depending on 
what is to be prepared in the way of food. 

Despite such rude methods, the food was ex- 
ceptionally good. They had a way of preparing 
fish that gives it a most delicious flavor, and would 
suit the taste of an epicure. It was first carefully 
cleaned, then soaked for an hour in fresh lime 
juice, containing a small quantity of salt, after 
which it was wrapped in the leaf of the cocoanut, 
and baked until it was thoroughly done. 

One day I sat down to dinner and found on the 
table before me a most peculiar-looking object, 
which from its shape and general appearance I was 

90 



In Old Roseau. 

at a loss to name. I accepted my portion, however, 
without asking any questions, and on tasting 
found it to be of a most delicate flavor. It proved 
to be the flesh of the porcupine, or hedgehog; Jean 
Baptiste had been so fortunate as to capture one 
the night previous, the animal, at the time, being 
in the act of killing some of his fowls. 

Notwithstanding stories to the contrary, the 
Caribs eat with a knife and fork, and use table 
furnishings of rough stone pottery, which, for the 
most part, is purchased in Roseau. 

The people as a class are very cleanly. Scarcely 
a morning but that Marcella and her pretty sister 
repaired to the little stream we had found it so 
difficult to cross on our way from church, and 
there, in a deep pool, disport themselves. 
One morning Marcella said to me: 
"Would monsieur like to go in ze bath?" 
"Perhaps so, Marcella," I replied; "why?" 
"Why! Monsieur, we are going for ze purpose, 
and it would give us vary much plaisure to have 
monsieur accompany us." 

Eemembering my experience of the Sunday 
previous, and not knowing to what extreme their 
maidenly innocence might influence their con- 
duct, I deferred the invitation under a pretext, 
which I have now forgotten, until some future 
time. 



91 



In Old Roseau. 

I found some of the Caribs to be fine boatmen. 
They used canoes made by digging out the trunk 
of a large tree, and sharp at both ends. Instead of 
paddles, they used oars, and in these frail vessels 
they would sometimes venture out miles at sea, 
going around the island to Eoseau, and even had 
been known to go as far as the neighboring islands 
of Gaudaloupe and St. Vincent. They are good 
fishermen, but, strange to say, indulge in this occu- 
pation only to the extent of supplying their own 
people with food. 

When a Carib is suffering from toothache he 
adopts a most singular method for its relief. It is 
simply snuffing up the nostrils, from the palm of 
the hand, a little of the clear native rum. Strange 
to say, this will oftentimes afford immediate re- 
lief. If it does not, and the offending member 
is sufficiently troublesome, it is extracted in the 
following manner, which, if not thoroughly sci- 
entific, is certainly original. Another native takes 
two small flat sticks, of very hard wood, on whose 
inner surface are two sets of horizontal grooves. 
One stick grasps the tooth behind, the other in 
front, being pressed firmly in place by the thumb 
and forefinger. A slight rotary movement is 
made, a quick pull, and lo ! the tooth is out and the 
sufferer goes on his way rejoicing. 

The women, aside from their skill in weaving 

92 



In Old Koseau. 

baskets, mats and hats from the Mahoe grass, are 
very deft with the needle, and do some most ex- 
quisite embroidery. I have in my possession to-day 
two beautiful handkerchiefs, the handiwork of 
Marcella and Louise, that I prize most highly, not 
alone as a memento of my pleasant sojourn in 
their midst, but also on account of the peculiar 
and highly wrought character of the workman- 
ship. 

One night I lay in my bed in a half-dreamy con- 
dition. I had been tramping around a good deal 
during the day, and had gotten most thoroughly 
fatigued, which brought on an attack of nervous 
headache. I had taken a light supper of cassava 
cakes and tea, smoked a cigar and retired early. 
I had found, from experience in those attacks, that 
my best remedy was rest. In the morning I would 
be myself again. 

During the early part of the night a severe rain- 
storm set in. I had left my shutters open for 
ventilation, and when the storm came it beat more 
or less into the room. Why I did not get up and 
close the shutters I do not know, possibly because 
I was in that condition of utter indolence that one 
occasionally assumes, particularly in the tropics. 
At all events the fact of a little rain disporting 
itself about my chamber was something to which I 
was completely indifferent, and I remained per- 
fectly quiet in bed. 

93 



In Old Roseau. 

Suddenly T heard a sound as of some one mov- 
ing stealthily. A dip had been left burning in 
the outer room, whose soft, mellow blaze gave out 
vSufficient light for me to dimly discern objects in 
my own room. I half opened my eyes, but did not 
move. I heard a light foot-fall approaching, it 
came nearer; I could distinguish a form; it was a 
female in some light attire. She stopped by my 
bedside. It was Marcella. I held my breath. 
What could the girl be doing in my room at that 
hour of the night? I knew that she was looking 
at me. She stood still for a moment, and then 
passed softly to the window. I saw her reach out, 
draw the shutters together, and fasten them. Poor 
girl, thought I, she was fearful lest I get wet. 
She nad the care for me that I had not for myself. 
Silently she stole back to my bedside. She stopped 
again, and I saw her bend over the bed. I did my 
best to feign sleep. I would see what the girl 
would do. She touched my forehead with her lit- 
tle, soft hand. I read her thoughts — was I fever- 
ish? She held it there for a few moments, then, 
apparently satisfied, removed it. She did not 
leave at once; she started to go, then hesitated. 
She bent over my bed, her face drew closer to my 
own, again she hesitated, but only for an instant; 
fhe next moment I felt the light touch of her lips 
upon my forehead, once, twice, thrice. I could 

94 



In Old Roseau. 

stand it no longer. I gave a sudden start. She 
sprang back, and stood erect in the middle of the 
room. 

"Marcella, is that 7011?" 

"Yes, monsieur/' 

"Did you — did you kiss me just now, little one?" 

"1 closed ze shutters, monsieur; it was raining in 
ze room, and monsieur would get cold, and have 
ze fever, which would be had, vary had, you know, 
eh!" 

"Was that all, Marcella? I must have been 
dreaming." 

"Zat was very possible, monsieur. You feel bet- 
ter of ze head, eh?" 

"Yes, Marcella, thank you; but would you 
mind—?" 

"Good night, monsieur, may ze dream be pla~ 
sant.'" 

What a little witch Marcella was. 

CHAPTER VI. 

A BROKEN REVERIE— MARCELLA'S LOVE- 
MAKING.— MY DEPARTURE FROM 
THE LAND OF MAHOE. 

The day before my departure from Mahoe I 
was reclining in the hammock, which I had sus- 
pended between two palmetto trees in a little grove 

95 



In Old Roseau. 

some distance from the house of Jean Baptiste 
Pierre. It was a lovely spot, cool and comfortable. 
Many an hour I spent there, enjoying the quiet 
beauty of nature and the rest that the spot af- 
forded. 

I had thrown down the book that I was reading, 
and was in a dreamy state of delightful bliss, re- 
volving in my mind the many happy incidents that 
had transpired since I had first entered into that 
charming half-vagabond existence that I had led 
since landing from the steamer in old Koseau, 
some weeks before. I was nearly asleep, when I 
was aroused from my reverie by a light foot-fall, 
and, looking up, I saw standing before me, with 
smiling face, that pretty little nymph, Marcella. 

Seating herself on the ground by my side, with 
a bundle of the native grass, she commenced work 
on a hat that she was braiding from the same, and 
which she had informed me some days before was 
intended for myself. Neither of us spoke a word. 
I was again entering upon the land of slumber, 
when I was aroused by the sound of a voice. 

"Monsieur?" 

"Yes, Marcella!" 

"Zar are many fine ladies in your country?" 

"Yes; a good many/' 

"Zay wear ze fine clothes, live in ze great houses 
you tell me about, and have many servants?" 

96 



In Old Roseau. 

''Some of them live in great houses, wear fine 
clothes, and have servants; but many, by far the 
larger part, are poor, and have to work hard to 
get enough to eat." 

"I thought all ze people were rich in America!" 
"But a small part are so." 
"Have you a lady in your house, monsieur?" 
"No! Marcella, I am an old bachelor." 
"A what, monsieur? I no understand zat word." 
"A man of my age that never has married is 
called a bachelor," I replied, 
"Oh!" 

Marcella seemed lost in thought for a moment, 
then, looking up, she said: 

"You no love any girl, monsieur?" 
"No, Marcella!" 

Again there was silence; my fair inquisitor was 
evidently at a loss how to proceed. 
"I wish, monsieur!" 
"You wish what, Marcella?" 
"I wish I could go to your country." 
"What would you do there, Marcella?" 
"Why — " there was a slight hesitation in her 
voice, and a deeper tinge of color overspread her 
cheeks— "I would live with you, monsieur." 

"That could hardly be, my child; I have no 
home of my own, .besides it would not be con- 
sidered the proper thing in my country." 

97 



In Old Roseau. 

"Not considered ze proper thing, monsieur! 
Ave ze men all so very good in ze land of America 
zat zay care nothing for ze women unless zay 
marry, monsieur?" She shrugged her shoulders 
and gave her head a toss that loosened her mag- 
nificent hair from the kerchief that held it lightly, 
and it fell luxuriously around her dainty neck and 
shoulders. 

"I no believe zat," she continued. "It is not ze 
nature, as you call it. Ze man in your country 
and ze man here all ze same, monsieur. It must 
be so. Ze man here he sometimes marry; maybe 
not. He love some woman all ze same: she love 
him. Maybe zay live together all ze time: may- 
be not. Ze married man he loves young girl. too. 
Nobody here say not proper, as you call it. What 
ze harm, monsieur?" 

"Things are looked upon differently here than 
in my country, Marcella." 

"You like me, monsieur." 

"To be sure I do, Mareella; what a question to 
ask. I think you and Louise are two tine girls." 

"I did not say Louise, monsieur: I said me, Mar- 
eella; and could you" — she hesitated a moment, 
and gazed at me intently from out those great, dark 
eyes, as though seeking to read my inner thoughts, 
while a rich crimson color suffused her face and 
neck — "could you love me a little bit?" 



98 



In Old Roseau. 

I must say that I was taken back at the earnest 
questioning of Marcella and the turn that affairs 
had taken. She and her sister had been with me 
more or less during my stay in the settlement, and 
of late Marcella had seemed to be more attentive 
to my wants than ever, but I had looked upon her 
as hardly more than a child, and did not dream of 
her real affection for me. 

"Oh! monsieur," she continued; "you leave Ma- 
hoe to-morrow — do pity poor Marcella. Take me 
with you. I do not ask to be your wife, zat would 
be impossible. You no marry poor Carib girl. 
I will be your slave. Anything you wish, mon- 
sieur; only take me with you. You do not love 
me, but you can like me one little bit. I love 
you, monsieur, so much." 

Her bosom heaved with emotion, and throwing 
her arms around my neck, she pressed her warm 
cheek against my own, her raven tresses hanging 
in reckless profusion around us both. I will not 
attempt to describe what transpired during the 
next few moments. How I tried in vain to reason 
with her, telling how different from her own were 
the ways and customs of the American people. 
How the climate was bleak and cold. How she 
would soon wither and pine like a tropical flower 
transplanted from the warmth and sunshine of its 
own heather. It was of no avail and, finally, when 

D9 



In Old Roseau. 

I disengaged her arms from about my neck, she 
flung her quivering form upon the ground and 
wept as if her heart would break. I thought it best 
to let her feelings have sway, and walked away 
and left her. 

I saw no more of her that day. Early the fol- 
lowing morning Jean Baptiste Pierre had our 
horses already saddled and waiting for us to start 
on our journey back over the mountains to Roseau. 
I had said good-by to the rest of the family, and 
we were about to mount, when Marcella appeared. 
Her lip curled for an instant, but the grief in her 
heart was stronger than the scorn for an imaginary 
wrong, and as she grasped my hand she bowed her 
head and burst into tears. I wished from the bot- 
tom of my heart at that moment that I had never 
seen the family of Jean Baptiste Pierre. 

We mounted our horses and started on our 
homeward journey. At noon that day we stopped 
for refreshments on the bluff above the river, 
where I had gotten my first view of the Mahoe 
land. A half-hour later, as we entered the moun- 
tain path and shut out from view the plain we had 
but lately crossed, I turned my head to get one last 
glimpse, in the splendor of the noonday sun, of 
the land of the Caribs. 



100 



jp^v'^- : ^:r : '; : ~:v 










CHAPTER VII. 

THE CARRIBEAN ISLANDS AS A HEALTH 
RESORT. 

The Carribean Islands belong to the English, 
French and Dutch, and are located in the Car- 
ribean Sea, within latitude 10° to 19° north, and 
longitude west from Greenwich 60° to 63°. They 
extend from the northeastern coast of South 
America, about as far north as the Island of San 
Domingo. The climate for the whole year will 
average no warmer than New York State during 
the summer months. 

There is never any frost, and though the 
weather during the summer months is quite warm, 
one does not feel the heat nearly so much as in 
New York city during the same time. During the 
greater part of the year the thermometer will not 
rise above 88° or 90°, and the heat is then tem- 
pered by the cool trade winds which prevail at all 
seasons. To avoid the discomforts of the hottest 
weather, most of the well-to-do inhabitants have 
country seats in the mountains, where, ascending 
to an elevation, almost any climate can be ob- 
tained. The principal islands desirable for the 
invalid to visit are St. Eustatius, St. Kitts, An- 
tigua, Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia and Trini- 

101 



In Old Roseau. 

dad. A place may be easily selected to meet the 
requirements of the individual, whether it is for 
quietness and seclusion alone, or for the conven- 
ience of our Northern cities. Both Barbadoes and 
Trinidad have steam railways, and in the latter 
island the city, Port-of-Spain, is lighted by electric 
lights. The soil of all the islands is rich, and with 
little cultivation will produce three or four crops a 
year. They are nearly all of volcanic formation, 
and one of the mountains of Dominica rises to a 
height of about 7,000 feet above the sea level. 
Nearly every foot of the Island of Barbadoes is 
under cultivation, while in Dominica probably 
less than one-third is cultivated. The streets in all 
the towns are kept very neat, much more so than 
in our own country, and well lighted. The police 
force in the various islands is well organized, and 
excellent order prevails. The roads in most of the 
islands are good, and it is a pleasure to ride over 
them, good horses being always obtainable. 

In St. Eustatius and Dominica the roads outside 
of the towns are but poorly adapted to carriage 
riding, and one must either go on horseback or 
afoot. 

There is very little sickness in any of the islands. 
Fever or epidemic of any kind seldom prevails. 
Dr. Nichols, a prominent physician of Dominica, 
stated that during a residence of fourteen years 

102 



In Old Roseau. 

"he had never met with a case of diphtheria, yellow 
fever, or typhoid. Lung diseases are very rare, 
and are in most cases confined to the poorer class 
of blacks, who bring them on, as they do other dis- 
ease, by exposure and neglect. In no other cli- 
mate could they enjoy, with such impunity, the life 
they lead in these islands. In most cases they 
are poorly clad, sleep on the bare earth, for their 
huts rarely contain a board floor, and are given to 
the excessive use of alcoholic drinks. 

The annual death rate of Dominica will average 
only about one and six-tenths per cent, of the 
population, which is less than that of any State 
in the Union. It would seem that the immunity 
from disease is almost remarkable. The quaran- 
tine regulations of these islands are very thorough, 
and small-pox and kindred diseases seldom occur. 
Excellent physicians are to be found in most of 
the islands, men who have received their degrees 
abroad, and are well qualified in the various 
branches of their profession. So far as medical 
treatment is concerned, the invalid need feel no 
care. The inhabitants are very hospitable, and 
good society may be found among a cultured class 
of people. Fruit is abundant, and of such variety 
and quality as would tempt an epicure. Excellent 
facilities are offered for fresh and salt water bath- 
ing. The various sulphur springs may be utilized 

103 



In Old Roseau. 

for bathing purposes. Those fond of boating can 
find ample opportunity to gratify their taste. Sail 
and rowboats can be hired for a nominal price. 

The waters abound with a large variety of fish, 
and the mountain forests with game, so that those 
who wish to may indulge in these sports to their 
heart's content. 

The winter climate of the Carribean Islands, 
taken as a whole, has been found beneficial to per- 
sons who have a predisposition to pulmonary com- 
plaints, and to those in the early stage of con- 
sumption, and almost any form of chronic inflam- 
mation of the respiratory mucus membrane, such 
as the different forms of catarrh, bronchitis and 
some cases of asthma. Much benefit may also be 
derived in chronic rheumatism, gout, general de- 
bility and enfeeblement of the general system 
from overwork, worry, etc. In these latter cases, 
much may be expected, for in this climate a person 
need not expend his vital energies in trying to 
keep warm. Nature will reassert herself and work 
the cure. The very atmosphere seems to diffuse a 
feeling of contentment, and the invalid has only 
to lie back and enjoy the tranquility which every- 
where surrounds him. "Throw physic to the dogs!" 
A sojourn among these islands is better by far 
than medicine. 

The distance from New York to St. Christo- 

104 



In Old Roseau. 

pher's is only six days by steamer, so that no 
one need be deterred from making the trip. Forty- 
eight hours out, the air is warm and balmy. No 
outside wraps are necessary. One already begins 
to feel the change. By the time the islands are 
reached the patient is generally, both mentally and 
physically, in a condition to enjoy every hour of 
his sojourn in the tropics. 

The facilities for reaching Dominica, and the 
other islands belonging to the Windward group, 
and of proceeding as far south as Port-of-Spain, 
Trinidad and Demerara are exceptionally good. 

The Quebec Steamship Company's elegant pas- 
senger steamers make the trip an ideal one. 

Every comfort is supplied the passengers, mak- 
ing the service one of the most complete in every 
respect that the ocean voyager can find in any part 
of the world. 

The two new steamers, Madiana and Pretoria, 
that the company have lately added to their fleet, 
are by far the finest ships ever engaged in the West 
India trade. 

The same company's steamers also ply between 
New York and Bermuda, making the trip in about 
forty-eight hours. 



105 



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2. FAMOUS TALES OF THE SEA: The Epic of 

the Whale: Melville.— The Sea Thieves of Sulu: 
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of Arthur: Tennyson. — Sintram: Fouque. — The 
Passing of Arthur: Tennyson. 

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Brain: E. Bulwer-Lytton. — Strange Case of Dr. 
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man— The Wondersmith: O'Brien.— The Rime 
of the Ancient Mariner: Coleridge. 

6. FAMOUS TALES OF FAIRYLAND AND 

FANCY: Kong Tolv: Craik.— The Culprit Fay: 
Drake.— Through the Looking Glass: Carroll.— 



Midsummer Night's Dream: Shakespeare. — The 
Daisy: Anderson. — Pied Piper of Hamelin: 
Browning. — The Fir Tree: Andersen. — Songs of 
the Fairies: Various. 

7. FAMOUS CLASSIC TALES: The Iliad. 

8. FAMOUS CLASSIC TALES: The ^neid. 

9. FAMOUS CLASSIC TALES: The Odyssey. 

10. FAMOUS CHILD STORIES: The Water 

Babies: Kingsley. — La Belle Nivernaise: Daudet. 
— How the Count's Son Died: Froissart. — Co- 
sette: Victor Hugo. — A Dog of Flanders: 
"Ouida." 

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House of the Wolf: Weyman. — Sire de Male- 
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Night: Stevenson. 

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to Live: Tolstoi. — A Child's Dream of a Star: 
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Children: Lamb. — The Broken Cup: Zschokke. 
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— History of a Slave: Johnston. — The Passing of 
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